


Squad 7

by KellersMcKellerton



Category: Naruto
Genre: A LOT of violence, A Lot of Death, AU-Same Age, BAMF Haruno Sakura, BAMF Hatake Kakashi, Comfort/Angst, Creating original jutsu, Exploring background stories, Exploring teenage Kakashi, F/M, Friendship, Haruno Clan - Freeform, Haruno Sakura-centric, Hatake Kakashi-centric, Hobbies are important, I created a whole background for the Haruno Clan, Implied Sexual Content, Not Beta Read, PTSD, Post-Kannabi Bridge Mission, Protective Haruno Sakura, Slow Burn, Soul Bond, Strong Haruno Sakura, Team Bonding, Team as Family, Team work is important, Third Shinobi War, learning how to cope, teenage romance, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-01-13 08:16:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 43,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21241016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KellersMcKellerton/pseuds/KellersMcKellerton
Summary: They called him Friend-killer Kakashi, and all he wanted to do was rid the world of his bloody footprints and dishonor. Instead of joining ANBU directly, he chose War—where he could die on the front lines, taking his shame and guilt with him...But first, where did all this blood come from?“We need to get you a hobby, Kakashi-kun.”(Inspired and loosely based on the 75th Ranger Regiment; an exploration of Kakashi's eccentricities, and creating the sustenance that Sakura deserves. An Alternate Universe where I manipulate canon to satisfy my plot bunnies.)





	1. Welcome to Squad 7

**Author's Note:**

> Before we delve into this mess, I'd just like to say that I have absolutely zero clue what I'm doing. This is my first time posting to Ao3. I'm more of an expert at reading and fawning over everyone else's work. I don't know what the purpose of a beta-reader is or how you even go about obtaining one, or formatting, etc. I do plan to add more tags as I develop more to this story. I do have an outline and plan to make this a series as per the grand scheme of my plot bunny's plotting. Like many other disgruntled folks, I too, was more than unhappy with Sakura's development and end with Naruto. I never liked Sakura/Sasuke, and my plot bunny is out for vengeance.
> 
> So here we are. I have done a lot of research, relying heavily on NarutoWiki (considering I stopped when Kaguya made her apppearance in the Manga once I found out about Sarada), and will continue to do so as I write more. That being said, the majority of this story will be Kakashi-centric as he learns to cope and grows into the all familiar Copy Nin we all love and adore. Bear with me while I slowly unravel Sakura's background. I will try to reveal as much as the flow of the story allows. For the second part of this series (if I make it that far), will be more Sakura focused, and therefore Haruno Clan focused. I have already created a Village from where the Haruno's hail from. I am really excited to also explore the power-dynamic of Sakura's parents also.
> 
> Lastly, I want to apologize for the amount of Original Characters I had to create. I, personally, don't quite care for them, much less having to go about being creative. A majority of my OC's will remain mostly as supplementary to the story as they serve their purposes. I want the focus to remain on Kakashi and Sakura's growth.
> 
> Anyway. Let's do this.

He had failed them.

Friend-killer Kakashi was what they whispered behind his back. It wasn’t even a week back from their Mission in Kiri and the rumors had already flown.

  
So what could Friend-Killer Kakashi do? Nothing. Placed on mandatory leave to recover physically and mentally, Minato-sensei had said. But how do you recover from losing two team mates in less than a month? Especially when it felt like your fault.

  
_You don’t_, Kakashi decides as he spends his days laying supine on his bedroom floor. He has already spent a week on mandatory leave. He hadn’t really left the confines of his apartment. He hadn’t really eaten in a week. Too tired to get up. Too tired to eat. Too tired to just…carry on.

  
But before his misery could swallow him whole, Kushina-sama barged her way in through the apartment and trampled on his self-pity party; she dragged him out by the scruff with her decidedly scary, maternal strength. When they reached Minato-sensei’s humble abode, the feisty red-head all but threw sole Hatake heir into a chair and threatened to force feed him if he refused to eat.

  
Later that night, when his sensei returned home, Kakashi was so overcome with a flurry of emotions of shame and guilt that he couldn’t possibly dare to look his teacher in his bright blue eyes. But he mustered up his courage and braced himself; as his eye rose to his teacher’s, he didn’t see pity nor disappointment nor contempt. Instead, he saw the warmth that he sometimes saw in his father’s eyes. A small smile played on his sensei’s face; it curled just so, that if it curled anymore, it could grow in that goofy grin he typically wore.

  
The next thing Kakashi felt was his sensei’s hand in his hair, all warmth and all ruffles.

  
“I am proud of you, Kakashi. I will always be proud of you, no matter what.” The young boy heard. And his shoulders began to tremble; he tried to quell the tears and tried to force down the pressure in his throat and chest. He had so much to say but the pressure felt like it was blocking his airway. He wanted to retort, asking how you could be proud of someone who kills their team mate? Who leaves their team mates behind? Who garnered the nickname _friend-killer_? But he couldn’t. Not when your throat was closing on itself as a last line of defense to choking back tears.

  
He couldn’t manage to spew emotional turmoil through his clenched throat, but he could manage bland business tones,

  
“When can I resume my duty?” Yes, that he could do. He could lose himself in missions. And perhaps not even come back, like the rest of his team. And he could see them a lot sooner and apologize profusely and beg for their forgiveness until the end of time. That…that he could do.

  
He heard Kushina-sama’s exasperated scoff and he may have or may not have heard her mutter something along the lines of ‘_you should be resting and taking care of yourself first,_’ but it mattered not in light of his sensei’s response.

  
“Well, Kakashi-kun, there are a couple positions you can take.” And the young boy perked up at this. “There is a position in ANBU you can apply for or you can enlist in one of the Brigades on the front lines—_oof_!” Kushina’s foot somehow kissed the soon-to-be Hokage’s shin in the least subtle manner.

  
As Husband and Wife delved into a side argument, Kakashi mulled over his options. ANBU was the elite of the elite, and he didn’t doubt he’d find his place there. But the 3rd Shinobi War was still raging. And Konoha was all but scraping by on sending out enough man power by the week. He’d remembered that some of his classmates had been pulled from the academy; he’d heard the rumors that they’d been sent out to the front lines. He hadn’t seen them since.

  
And then it dawned on the boy. An opportunity. To leave Konoha and never come back. At least not alive.

  
“I’d like to enlist.” He thought aloud, causing the argument on the other side of the table to pause.

  
“Come again?” Came the red head’s reply. Kakashi cleared his throat, and with a little more conviction,

  
“I would like to enlist.” He wasn’t prepared for the somber mood to take the room; both the blonde and redhead’s eyes lowered. They weren’t daft, Kakashi knew, and they certainly could read between the lines. Even though Minato-sensei looked ten times older than he did, he still smiled at Kakashi, and nodded; he respected the decision of the sole heir to the Hatake Clan.

  
He could see out of the corner of his eyes that Kushina quickly brushed at her eyes, her cheeks rosy, as they typically got when she was emotionally charged. Finally, his sensei spoke,

  
“I’ll send your profile to the Jonin Commander first thing tomorrow. You’ll be evaluated by a Yamanaka prior to shipping out—”

  
“But not before you get a good night’s rest and a belly full of food, you hear me, brat?”

  
“Yes, Kushina-sama.” He couldn’t help himself, his chuckles turned into a sort of somber laughter.

  
“You cheeky brat!” She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pressed him to her bosom; he felt her tears drop atop his crown of hair. “Just for that, you’ll be eating here until you get sent out, you hear me?”

  
“Yes, Kushina-sama.” And for the first time in what seemed like a long time, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips beneath his mask.

* * *

  
A week later, midway through June, Kakashi found himself in a caravan moving towards his future station on the home front. He was assigned to the 75th Battalion, about a day and half’s distance from the border of the Land of Fire. He was instructed he would be assigned a Company from there, and then assigned to a platoon that matched his skill set and experience. And then he would carry out orders until the end of the war. As he scanned the other members of his caravan, he noted it was comprised of a variety of shinobi. Some were clan members, some were civilian-born. He seemed to be the youngest member of this assembly. Some were jovial, some were somber. Some were returning after a brief R&R, some were here for the very first time. It seemed that no one recognized him, or at least, they kept their mouths shut about it. For that he was grateful as the voyage remained as peaceful as it could get.

  
When they arrived, he was scuttled into a giant tent. He was assigned to Alpha Company, 10th Platoon. A platoon comprised of ninjutsu specialists whose assignment encompassed support roles for those who go head first onto the front lines to maintain the borders. He would be on a weekly rotation with the other platoons.

After he received his designation and assignment, he was retrieved by his Squad Captain (Captain Akimichi to be exact), and he was escorted to his barracks. Oddly, amongst the chaotic vibes across this Battalion’s station, he felt at peace. He could hear the explosions far off in the distance, the scuttle of shinobi running to and fro, training sessions here and there, and the wails of the dead and dying that surrounded the camp. He would find his peace here, he thought to himself, and hopefully soon. He could die a nobody here. He would take the last of his dishonor of the Hatake name with him and cease continuing his bloody foot prints on this world. With time, he could only hope that his memory would wash away.

After a brief tour of the camp, his captain took him to the mess hall for dinner where he could meet the rest of his platoon. They were all pleasant and polite. They were also surprised that the last member of Minato’s team would be out on the front lines. They didn’t care much for his back ground story and he was thankful. He supposed it mattered not in the reality of war. He was just a kid to them anyways, a 12 year old snot nosed brat. Prodigy or not. But at least they treated him kindly.

As he and his team exited through the mess hall, Captain Akimichi halted his crew. Kakashi looked up questioningly to his leader.

“Pay up, Hyuuga!” His captain cackled. The Hyuuga on his team grumbled and shoved his hand in his pocket while mumbling obscenities unbecoming of a Noble clan member.

“What?” Kakashi looked toward his captain counting his Ryo. His captain stopped counting and pointed toward a group of Shinobi that were approaching.

“See, we have a bet on whether Squad 7 returns or not. It’s a terrible joke, but I suppose everyone’s humor turns dark when you’re fighting a war.” Captain Akimichi’s cheeks were colored a light pink, no doubt embarrassed.

“What do you mean returns or not?” He was definitely curious now. He felt his captain’s hand on his shoulder and the small squeeze he gave.

“Squad 7 is…a specialized squad, kid. They’re uh…” He stumbled on his words, scratching his swirly tattooed cheek. “For lack of a better term, they’re the black sheep around here.”

“Black sheep?” He turned his gaze to the group; there were seven of them all together including a gigantic black and grown Doberman. They wore the traditional ANBU uniform. They seemed to be walking towards the mess hall.

“Trust me, kid, you’re better off not knowing.” Captain said, shoving his Ryo in his pocket. The rest of the platoon had already begun to walk off towards the barracks, while he and the Captain stayed behind. As the group drew closer, he could make out distinguishing features of several Konoha Clans. He saw the Captain’s insignia on the leading male whose hair was strikingly similar to that of Nara Shikaku-sama. Along his right side, strode a long haired blonde male with pupil-less eyes, no doubt a Yamanaka.

  
The Captain of that squad stopped in front of Kakashi and Captain Akimichi.

  
“Welcome home, Captain Nara-chan! Yamanaka-kun!” His Captain chimed, broad grin stretching across his face.

  
“Akimichi-kun. It’s good to be back.” Captain Nara nodded and then his gaze turned to the silver-haired boy, prompting an arch of one fine, brunette eyebrow. His brown eyes turned back to Captain Akimichi, “He’s a little young for your squad, don’t you think?”

  
“Bahah! Speak for yourself, Nara-chan!” And a gruff, heavy hand came back between Kakashi’s shoulder blades. The silver haired boy looked between the two. “This here is Hatake Kakashi! Strong lad we got here.”

  
“Sakumo’s boy?” The Yamanaka sounded mildly surprised, but the young boy flinched at his father’s name before nodding. “He was a good man. Very good man.” The Hatake heir could only direct his gaze at the ground, not willing to deal with that particular topic. The adults could sense the change in the boy’s demeanor and swiftly changed course.

  
“Easy mission, I take it? You guys are back a day early.”

  
“Nothing too spectacular.” The Nara waved the question off, but Kakashi knew that was a lie. He smelled heavily of blood, and by no means was he sensor, but he could tell that Captain Akimichi’s chakra dwarfed the entirety of this group. “You guys just leaving the mess? Did you at least save some for us?” He gave a teasing smirk as he poked the other captain’s belly.

  
“Lucky for you, I’m feeling quite generous!”

  
“Good. The rest of you guys, go ahead. I’m gonna chat awhile.” Captain Nara said over his shoulder, which earned him a collective, ‘yes sir.’ Kakashi’s ever observant single grey eye surveyed the group as they passed through the entrance of the mess, led by the Yamanaka in a single file. He distinguished an Aburame, an Inuzuka who no doubt was the Doberman’s partner, a female shinobi whose hair looked like the exact shade of red as Kushina-sama’s hair except in high pigtails, a plain black-haired shinobi who had a frown to rival that of Fugaku-sama, and finally the last member of this team who paused in front of him. She looked to be the same age as he was, standing at the same height. And she had atrociously pink hair and bright green eyes. She offered him a smile before following the rest of her team into the mess hall.

“Kakashi-kun, why don’t you get settled in? We have a mission tomorrow morning at the border.”

  
“Yes, Captain Akimichi.” He spared one glance over his shoulder at the pink-haired girl before making his way to the barracks.

* * *

A week later, the Hatake found himself wandering to the mess hall by himself. He had just gotten back in last night from a six day rotation on the front lines. The rest of his platoon were still sleeping soundly at the wee hours in the morning. He helped himself to a small portion of breakfast before sitting down. Captain Akimichi said they’d have chore duties to perform around the camp; Kakashi was assigned to the mess hall to help with washing dishes in the morning. Afterward, they were free to do as they pleased. Platoon training would then commence before dinner hour at 19:00.

As he finished his last bite, he noticed several shinobi enter the mess hall; it was Squad 7. They were dressed in their immaculate uniforms and weapon pouches stocked. They looked like the definition of ANBU—they walked in a coordinated formation, shoulders back, and chins up. Even the Inuzuka’s ninken had its own little ANBU ensemble. The Nara and the Yamanaka brought up the rear. If there ever was a recruitment poster, this group would be it. They even sat down together in a uniform manner.

He watched them all eat their breakfast in silence. They left in the same fashion that they came in. There was a strong confidence among them and Kakashi could feel it. They were disciplined. They were mysterious. They were really the elite of the elite.

And he began to wonder what sort of missions they specialized in. What kind of team could come back smelling like blood as if it were a sort of normal day-to-day fragrance while joking around with other captains about the mundane? He felt drawn to that group. They were like a secret club and he wasn’t invited. How does one even get an invitation?

And he wondered about it until they came back.

* * *

Five nights and six days later, Kakashi would find his invitation presented to him in the form of a dead shinobi.

  
It happened on their last night in the camp before A Platoon would be sent out for their weekly rotation. He was coming back from training with his team when he saw them.

  
Squad 7 was back.

  
And they were carrying a team member on stretcher, sealed in white bandages from head to toe like a mummy. Three members on each side of the stretcher held on with one hand. And each member had blank expressions on their faces as they strode through the camp, even the ninken if that was possible.

They looked like hell. Despite the limp in their gait, the bleeding gashes, the exhaustion in their bones, they carried their teammate like they were the daimyo’s son—with precise steps, with respect, with care…with love.

And it looked as if they could part the seas with the way the shinobi in the camp split for them, clearing a path. Kakashi watched as they took the stretcher towards a wooden wagon by the supply tent. As they gently secured the body to the cart’s platform, Captain Nara spoke with the shinobi in charge of said cart before the nameless man nodded and disappeared around the stables.

As the last Hatake stood rooted in his place, he watched as Captain Akimichi approached Squad 7; he laid a hand on the other Captain’s shoulder before bowing his head, offering his own respects to their fallen member. He briefly recalled hearing someone from his own platoon telling him to eat dinner. He gave Squad 7 one last look before following into the mess hall.

* * *

He didn’t see Squad 7 until the following morning as he was preparing to leave from the camp. When he entered the hall, as usual, he was by himself, having risen before the rest of his platoon. As he sat, he noted the object of his obsession had wandered into the hall in the same calculated fashion he remembered from last week, although, a little more subdued and exhausted.

  
Kakashi waited until Captain Nara finished his breakfast before he approached them. He bowed low,

  
“Captain Nara-sama, I would like to be assigned to Squad 7.” He kept his head bowed low, waiting for a response. But none came. He slowly brought his head up only to find the rest of the Squad gone; only Captain Nara remained. He blinked a few times before the man gestured to sit across from him. Slowly, he did just that, never taking his eyes off Nara.

  
“You’ve got a lot of balls, kid.” The statement was a little bit of knife to the gut when it was coupled with the Nara’s harsh stare. It wasn’t menacing, but perhaps Kakashi should have at least waited until after his rotation before asking to replace their less than-24-hour-dead teammate. “Do you even know what Squad 7 specializes in?”

“No, sir.” The young boy only received a blank stare from the captain now.

“We belong to the Ranger’s Brigade. Do you know what a Ranger is?”

“No, sir.”

“Does Akimichi-kun know about this?”

“No, sir.”

“Tell me, Kakashi-kun. What makes you worthy of being a ranger?” Kakashi looked down at the table, feeling like a chastised child, a feeling he hadn’t had for a very long time. He felt like he had just got caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. The young boy grew uncomfortable, not usually accustomed to these sorts of situations. He pushed his feelings aside and thought for a good long minute before he found his answer. He lifted up his hitae-ate and revealed his gifted Sharingan.

“I am disciplined. I am willing to learn. I will do whatever is required of me.” Captain Nara gave him a once over, not looking entirely too impressed with his verbal resume.

“Stealing doujutsu is unbecoming of a Konoha Shinobi.”

“It was a gift.” He glared.

“Are you afraid to die for your country?”

“No.” He said immediately before the word country fell from the captain’s lips. Maybe a little too quickly. Maybe a little too eagerly. _Fuck_.

“So that’s what this is about.” The Nara said cryptically before closing his eyes and Kakashi’s spine straightened faster than a bent feather in hot water. The Nara folded his arms over his chest before fixing the boy across from him with a stern scowl. “We may be the Suicide Squad, but I’m not interested in cannon fodder. Stick to playing tag on the front lines.”

And Kakashi’s chin sunk into his chest, but not as low as his hopes did. He felt like a baboon. Of course the Nara could see right through him; Nara’s weren’t stupid. Then he heard the older man disentangle himself from the plastic chair across from him.

“Besides, _Friend-Killer_ Kakashi has no place among Rangers.”

And something inside the little Hatake snapped. Before it could register in his mind, Kakashi had punched his fist through the plastic table, faintly aware of the smell of burning, and crackles, and chirps of his signature jutsu in his left fist.

“_I. Am. Not. A. Friend. Killer._” He bit out, through clenched teeth, spittle catching on the inside of face mask. The corner of eyes began to sting as the skin around the bridge of his nose wrinkled into a snarl. He could hear the bones in his jaw grinding and straining against itself. The hair on his forearm singeing.

The Nara gave him a once over before a dark leer crossed his features as his head inclined towards to the young boy.

“_Like father, like son._” His voice was low and foreboding. There was a dangerous glint in his eye as his facial expression began to blossom into something more eerie than anything he had ever seen before. Before Kakashi could ask _what the fuck that even meant_, the Captain was already turning on his foot and heading out of the mess hall.

The rest of the week, Kakashi saw many shades of red. He threw himself passionately into his assignment at the border. He would show them. He would show them all who Friend-Killer-Fucking-Kakashi really was. And he did. He sacrificed self-preservation for his teammates. Sacrificed that extra little bit of sleep if that meant he could spare the more exhausted ones from night watch duty. Enthusiastically wasting his chakra if that meant it would provide an opening for his teammate’s to counter attack. And more importantly, he was learning to quickly disobey direct orders if it meant his teammate would live just one more day.

And by the time Platoon A was walking back into the Camp, he marched straight up to Captain Nara with what could possibly have been the craziest glint in his single grey eye before pulling out Minato-sensei’s bells from his back pouch, throwing them straight at the Captains’ feet before saying:

“I will never let a teammate die before me if I have anything to say about it.” He was huffing. He was exhausted—physically and emotionally, having spent the rest of his chakra on the run back to camp while figuring out how to shove his next words up the Captain’s ass. And goddamnit he was done with all of this. _Whatever the fuck this was._

  
And then he heard the Nara cackle. Fucking cackling in his face. And before the little Hatake’s hairs rose on the back of his neck, a hand came down and ruffled his hair.

“Welcome to Squad 7, brat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys have any critiques, feedback, or corrections, I'm all ears. Also: any tips and tricks on how to get more familiar with Ao3 and the etiquette of creating/posting Fanfiction are also welcome, too.Thanks for being here with me and I look forward to enjoying the adventure with all of you.
> 
> Take care and have a wonderful day, folks!


	2. Tattoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the love! I think I will be posting every Friday night/Saturday morning. Jutsu explanations will be the end.
> 
> Please enjoy.

When Kakashi had awoke that morning, he was a little disoriented to say the least. For starters, his entire body ached and his eyes were dry, the kind of dry that indicated he had probably cried like a big fat baby in the last 24 hours. The next thing he noticed was the wretched headache that pounded right behind his forehead and eyes. He forced himself into a sitting position while trying to keep the groan from slipping past his lips. He dug the heels of his palm as far into his eye sockets as he could, to try to soothe whatever it was that was bothering him at that second.

Then it hit him.

He wasn’t in his normal sleeping quarters. This certainly wasn’t his cot. Definitely not the itchy blanket he had been growing used to. And the sharp smell of antiseptics assaulted his sensitive nose. Cracking open an eye, he surveyed his surroundings. Yup, definitely not his quarters. There were six other beds, all neat and made up and unoccupied. His pack was settled neatly at the foot of his bed.

Kakashi tried to recall the events leading up to this morning. He remembered getting back from the Border last night, tired and cranky. He then remembered that he gave that Nara Captain a _what for_ before throwing Minato-sensei’s bells on the ground.

_Welcome to Squad 7, brat._

What. He blinked a couple times before it clicked that it was reality. That _what happened_ really happened. And the fact that he was not in his usual bunk probably meant he was in Squad 7’s bunk. He looked down at his lap and let himself feel a small smile tug at his lips. He did it—

“Yo.”

The silver haired boy was startled, falling off the bed as a pair of bright green eyes appeared right next to his face which gave way to a cheery countenance surrounded by pink locks as his field of vision expanded during his fall. He landed with a thump on his bottom. _What the—when did she..?_ He looked back up to the innocent face peering over the edge of his bed.

“Did ya sleep well?”

“...”

She blinked a couple times, a wide smile stretched across her face before offering a hand to him. He stared at it for a minute before he let her pull him up to his feet. He came face level with her from where he stood and from where she was kneeling on his cot. The pink-haired girl then held out her hand again, and the brightest smile, that had no right to shine in a dump like this, appeared over her _very girlie_ face.

“I’m Haruno Sakura. You can call me Sakura-chan!” He looked down at her extended hand before slowly grasping it with his own to return her handshake, and he immediately noted how warm and rough they were. Hands that were just as rough and calloused as Minato-sensei’s or his father’s hands. Then he finally looked up at her, really looked at her. She had short, pink hair that was a little bit longer than Rin’s that brushed just along her shoulders, but her eyes were just as big and innocent as his former teammate’s. Her painfully wide smile just as bright. He jerked his hand out of her grasp and looked away. He missed the curious look Sakura gave him.

“Taichou asked me to come get you. Breakfast is almost over so you’d better hurry! Then he wants us to meet at our training block for some team bonding! I’ll wait for you outside, okay?” And he felt her weight move off the cot before he finally looked up and watched her back exit the tent. Kakashi took a moment for himself to steel his nerves before he finally crawled over the bed to meet her outside.

When he exited, he noticed she had her nose buried in a small pocket sized book, pencil in one hand. Clearing his throat, Sakura finally noticed him. That bright smile returned as she shoved the pencil inside the spine and placed it in her back pouch. Kakashi let himself be led by his new teammate into the mess hall. As they entered, Sakura received many greetings from their fellow comrades; Kakashi helped himself to breakfast while she was occupied in small chat.

He found an empty seat somewhere off to the side and began to dig into his meal. Sakura returned to a seat from across him, pulling out the book she had earlier from her pouch. His single eye zeroed in on the context as she began to use the pencil and scratch across a page_. Math puzzles_?

His breakfast was gone in a few bites. He cleared his throat again, prompting Sakura to look up at him. She gave him another smile before she slipped her book away. “Ready?” She asked. He nodded.

Before long, Kakashi found himself at Squad 7’s training block, where all the members were sat cross legged in a circle, all eyes focused on the scroll laid out before them on the ground. It appears Nara-taichou was going over something with the team.

“Taichou!” Sakura chimed, waving. “We’re ready!” And a collective of heads shifted to stare at the two youngest members of the squad, who nodded in greeting. The Inuzuka and Aburame scooted outward to provide seating for the newest arrivals. The two took their seats while the Captain resumed his instruction.

Their next mission was a simple reconnaissance mission in the land of Grass. It wasn’t anything fancy by any means. They would be entering through one of the passages that Konoha had claimed throughout the war before scoping out a small village that was said to be aiding the enemy. Getting information was their objective. Depending on said information, the team would either report back to camp or disassemble the village, with explicit instruction to leave _none alive_. Simple. Easy peasy. 

The Captain then ignited the scroll with a simple fire jutsu and everyone else picked themselves up off of the ground. When the Captain finally stood, he looked directly at Kakashi, making the boy stand a little straighter, and said,

“Welcome to Squad 7 Hatake Kakashi.” The boy bowed low in respect before saying,

“It is an honor, I am in your care—” A hand slapped on his back when he heard a chortle next to him,

“Well aren’t you fuckin’ cute!” The youngest jonin looked up to see the Inuzuka guffawing next to him. He heard some exasperated sighs in the background somewhere. And the next thing he knew someone was squishing his cheeks together; the red-headed woman with high pig-tails was in his face next. She was the one doing the squishing, and before the little Hatake could muster a glare, she squealed,

“Oh, he is so kyyyyyuuuuuuuuute, Taichou!! Can we keep this one?!” She lifted him up from under his arms and brought him close to squeeze against her ample chest, the faint sound of her inhaling could be heard. Was she sniffing his hair? He didn’t have enough time to figure that out as he could feel a gruff hand pluck him by the scruff of his collar before being plopped back down onto his feet.

“He is not a dog, Yui-chan.” Ah, Taichou to the rescue. Wait, when did he appear behind him? The red-head giggled before throwing Kakashi a wink and sly smile when she retorted,

“Not yet.” He gulped. Perhaps Kakashi should have rethought his decision to pursue Squad 7. It appears that behind that professional façade they presented around the camp, was a gaggle of bizarre, touchy-feely shinobi with double personalities.

“After introductions, we will gauge your skill set Kakashi-kun, to see if you are compatible with Sakura-chan.” Captain Nara said.

“Compatible?” _Like what_?

“Kurama-kun was Sakura-chan’s old partner. Since you have the Sharingan, I don’t think there will be an issue. Sakura-chan’s role will be to support and supplement your role as a frontline offense.” Kakashi looked towards the pink-haired girl standing next to the Yamanaka. She gave him a cheeky smile and a curt nod. “So let’s start; Inuzuka, you first.” Kakashi looked towards the aforementioned. His long brown locks were pulled into a low pony that spilled over the top of his fluffy collared, sleeveless jacket that he left open to expose his ANBU uniform.

“My name is Shun Inuzuka. The fastest outta this group of rejects!” He gave the young boy a dazzling, fangy smile. “Except for maybe this good boy right here,” And he pat his large hand atop the giant Doberman’s head whose tongue lazily flopped out of its maw. “This is Shunhei. My partner.”

“Bark!”

“Our specialty is track and capture.” Kakashi nodded before he turned to the taller shinobi standing next to the Inuzuka.

“My name is Aburame Hideyoshi. My specialty is reconnaissance.” He bowed his head politely. He wore the traditional black spectacles with the traditional high collar on a black trench coat. The sides of his head were shaved creating a dark brown pompadour on top, smoothed back at the crown of his head.

“Uzumaki Yui-chan at your service!” The red haired pig tailed shinobi blew the newest member a kiss with a wink from her dull blue eyes. “I’m the sealing expert first and foremost, and medic nin second.” When she said sealing, Kakashi’s eyes flickered to her ears where a pair of dangling ear rings sat; the Uzumaki clan crest etched onto one end of the metal and a symbol etched onto the other end. Probably a seal doubled as a fashion statement he guessed. She also had a decent sized scroll secured to backside as well.

“My name is Yamanaka Noburu. I am the assistant Captain as well as the communications specialist. After our training session, see me afterward for your uniform and tattoo.” He gave a warm smile that crinkled his purplish-blue pupil less eyes. His long blonde hair was swept into a high pony as was the signature of the Yamanaka Clan. Then Kakashi’s eyes turned to Sakura who just waved at him before she spoke,

“I specialize in medical ninjutsu with a strong background in genjutsu and taijutsu.” She bowed her head. She wore the traditional ANBU uniform, but instead of pants, she wore a medic’s apron over a pair of black spandex shorts.

“I will be your Captain, Nara Sato.” He gave the little Hatake a cheeky grin. His skin was kissed by the sun. He had the signature goatee all Nara men had. He looked so much like Shikaku-sama, but instead of the scarred face, he was missing the tip of his left ear. On his arm was the black band that designated his Captain’s status. “Okay Sakura-chan. Go easy on him.”

Kakashi’s gaze fell onto Sakura, who nodded at her taichou. The rest of the Squad jumped into the trees, barely disturbing the dirt beneath their sandals. Before he could slide himself into a stance, he felt a prod at his back. He looked over his shoulder to find Captain Nara holding out an ANBU mask. He took the clay mask into his hand; he noted that the front was devoid of any markings or traditional animal designations Konoha’s ANBU were known for. Looking across the way, he saw that Sakura already had her mask in place. Following suit, Kakashi pulled his hitae-ate up before sliding the mask in place.

“Begin.” And Captain Nara left from his spot on the training field.

“Best of luck, Kakashi-kun!” Sakura bowed and within in split second, Kakashi’s kunai was a minute away from slicing her throat if she hadn’t bent backwards after rising. She pulled her own kunai and they met in the familiar clanking of metal. Their arms shook with the intensity of their weight behind their weapons.

They both jumped apart from each other after a minute. Kakashi flew through hand signs for the Earth Release: Earth Wave Technique. He felt his chakra seep into the earth and watched as the field began to ripple like waves in an ocean. He spared Sakura a glance, who was jumping backwards, escaping the ripples of the earth, having already figured out that lingering meant sinking. He then flew through another set of hand signs for the Hiding like a Mole technique.

He focused on finding her chakra with the intent to drag her underground, until only her head remained above the dirt. When he located her, he reached up and grasped onto her ankles, and effectively traded places with her—Sakura below and Kakashi above.

“Do you yield?” He said as he squatted down, holding a kunai to her throat. When her face tilted up, he caught a glimpse of her emerald eyes through the small eye holes within the mask. And from the way her eyes crinkled, he figured she was smiling before he heard:

“_Lunar Liberation Technique_.”

It was then that Kakashi felt the world tilt to the right and down. He stumbled back a bit as he noticed that his vision began to change; a dark shadow obscured only half of his eye sight, coating half of the world within reach into a dark shadow. The world shifted left, right, up, and down, but the black shadow remained, effectively obscuring 50% of his vision. He felt the vertigo as the synapses in his brain tried to readjust to the stutter of his surroundings; his equilibrium scrambling to right itself. _Goddamnit_. He felt nauseous. He had to use chakra to bind himself to the ground to keep himself from falling over. Blinking rapidly and shoving palms under the mask to sooth his eyes, as if he had dust in his eyes, did him no service. After finally getting his bearings, with the Sharingan, he noticed the ebb and flow of chakra that surrounded his senses.

_Genjutsu_.

“Kai.”

The shadows receded and the world slowly righted itself while his vision focused, Sakura was standing before him, having released herself from her make shift ground prison. He paused for a minute and considered his sparring partner. She was skilled enough to keep up with him and was able to cast a genjutsu with only an incantation. There was no way she could have performed the hand signs with her arms trapped as they were underground. Which meant she was exceptionally skilled at chakra control.

To buy him some time to reassess and plan, he threw a flurry of shuriken her way. Of course she deflected them with her own kunai easily enough. In the meantime, he watched as her right hand, not deflecting waves of shuriken, molded into half of the ram seal. _What the..? One-handed seals?_

“Astral Release.”

Kakashi watched as her form was enveloped into the blackest shade of black he had ever seen. And as she stepped back, the blackness pealed from her body like a snake shedding its’ skin. In front of her was a replica, a black clone as black as the abyss, whose features began to form as white lines began to mold into her distinct features. It was virtually a negative picture copy of his opponent.

It was the creepiest jutsu he had ever seen. It was even creepier with the blank mask in place. He could make out white irises behind the eye holes of that blank mask. As the real Sakura stepped even further back, he zeroed his Sharingan on her hands as they went through a short sequence of hand seals.

“Summoning Jutsu: Lunar Occultation.”

The youngest Hatake watched as the field began to darken. He briefed a glance upward toward the sky to only see a sky as black as night. As his surroundings became blanketed in the night, he saw a half moon rise behind his opponent in the Sky. It was the only light source within the area. He could make the line of trees surrounding them, but otherwise, everything had disappeared into the abyss she created.

His gawking cost him; he had mere seconds to dodge the clone Sakura who only managed to become creepier as her outline began to glow under the light of the moon. Kakashi made quick work of the hand seals for the Fireball Jutsu to grant him space from that freaky clone. _Fuck_. He needed to think. How was he going to get out of this? This jutsu had to have been B-Rank or higher. This girl was probably way out of his league in terms of advanced jutsu. Which begged the question: how long had she been a shinobi? He estimated her to be about the same age as he was and it was evident she had way more experience than he did. _What the fuck_.

As the flames heated his surroundings, thereby effectively providing a shield, he continued to retreat and began to think of a counterattack.

First, he’d need to take back control of this dark field. This was obviously her element. He needed to take her out, and from there, he hoped that would dispel the night sky she summoned from wherever the fuck it came from and hopefully get rid of that freaky ass clone she created. Thinking about all the jutsu he had in his measly arsenal (well, in comparison to his opponent), he had opted to go for his signature offense: Chidori.

Once the familiar sounds of chirping rang out, he pushed a little chakra to his legs and zinged his way through the field, his Sharingan zeroing in on the location of the original Sakura. Deftly side stepping the black outline of his opponent, he headed straight for his target into the dead of night. The glow of energy in his palm created dancing arcs upon her clay mask when he found her. He swung his arm in a cutting motion towards her torso. She leaned backward just enough for the sparks to graze the outside of her uniform.

“That’s an interesting Jutsu, Sakura-chan.” He remarked, still swinging left and right like a madman.

“Thank you, Kakashi-kun. It was my father’s jutsu.” Still dodging backwards, she made the signs for a substitution jutsu and effectively replaced herself with that black outline who took the brunt of his Chidori through the chest. Within the second his arm passed through his chest, Rin flashed through his eyes.

His body froze as the familiar memories melded with his current surroundings and the blackness of the clone gave way to the trembling body of his former teammate. Realizing he was experiencing a stressed induced flashback, he tried to suck air into lungs in greedy huffs, tried to slow his mind racing a million miles a minute, as the sweat dribbled between his shoulders.

And before he knew it, two kunai were placed at his throat, one from behind, and one from the clone in front of him. He forced himself to swallow, to gain control over his rapid breathing. His vision blinking back into reality, he noticed that his Chidori was still sparkling…inside an expansive space within the black Sakura, as if this clone was a black hole. _What?_ He cut off his chakra, thereby rendering Chidori into nothing more than an afterglow, and watched as his hand still remained within the expansive black abyss. His fingers began to feel cold. _Whoa_.

“I yield.” He finally said as the weight of the double kunai brought him back to the present.

“Well fought, Kakashi-kun.” He heard the soft voice murmur over his shoulder. His inner monologue disagreed, but that is neither here nor there. He watched as the Sakura clone dissipated into thin air. Then he felt the shinning sun on his skin once again.

“Well done.” He heard Captain Nara say before a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

“Most people don’t get past the world tilting technique!” He heard Inuzuka-senpai say.

“She is so adorable! Don’t you think so, Kakashi-kun!?” Kakashi watched as Yui-senpai wrapped Sakura up into a big hug, making her mask go askew, revealing the blush on her cheeks.

“Yui-chan! Put me down!” The pinkette whined as her face was shoved into ample bosom. “Oh gosh. So embarrassing!”

“You two will make a good pair. I can see your skill set complimenting each other rather well.” Yamanaka-senpai commented with an approving nod.

“She has an interesting…set of jutsu.” Kakashi dryly remarked to no one as he watched Sakura struggle out of the Uzumaki’s chest, and failing at the same time. Was this really the same _girl_ that just beat him by miles in a friendly spar? Huh. It’d been awhile since he’d met someone who could go toe-to-toe with him that wasn’t Minato-sensei. _Huh, indeed_.

“Yeah the Haruno’s are pretty eccentric if you ever get the chance to meet them.” Inuzuka-senpai said, a hand scratching his chin in thought. Kakashi turned an inquisitive look towards upon that statement.

“I’ve never heard of the Haruno clan.”

“Not surprising. Sakura-chan said her home village was destroyed a long time ago, or at least that’s what her parents told her.” He shrugged. Kakashi’s eyebrow arched.

“So, she’s an immigrant?”

“No, she was born in Konoha, so she’s one of us through and through.” The Inuzuka laughed.

“So is it some sort of Haruno kekkei genkai?” Because if so, _he’d_ never come across any Haruno clan, much less heard of _celestial themed_ jutsus during his studies.

“Nah. Anyone can learn them, but mastering is a different story. Kurama-kun was the jutsu expert out of all of us; he had really kick-ass chakra control, so he probably could have done them all in his sleep. In fact, he was the one who taught her how to master her family’s jutsu. Sakura-chan took his death pretty hard.” _Oh_. Kakashi started to feel a little bashful, though, he’d never admit that. It’s not everyday someone comes along demanding to replace special partnerships after said partner wasn’t even dead for more than 48 hours…“They were a pretty great pair. Their signature move was _Kakurenbo_.” A dark smile formed around his fangs.

“Kakurenbo? Like Hide and Seek?” The silver haired boy blinked himself back into the present.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never played hide and seek before.” Kakashi scoffed at the dubious look the ninken handler threw his way. He didn’t care much for playing children’s games—he received his first kunai and shuriken set when he was three, after all. He was more interested in getting strong like his father—he quickly shoved that thought back into the recess of his mind.

“So Kurama-san was essentially her sensei?” He received a bark, which he assumed was a yes from Shunhei. “What happened?”

“Ah, ya know. The Kurama Clan’s legacy. Great stuff, bad for your health, kinda thing.” Shun-senpai shrugged. No, Kakashi didn’t know. And it seemed to be a bigger deal than Shun was letting on, especially if Sakura-chan ‘took it pretty hard.’ But he decided to let it go for another time. Besides, <strike>he wasn’t here to get friendly</strike>—er, wait. He had a new team now. Obligations and responsibilities. <strike>But hey, self-sacrifice and all that right?</strike> Wait. This is too complicated. Best to just let that stew and digest later.

“If you two are done being chummy, Kakashi-kun needs to go get fitted for his uniform and get his tattoo.” Came the bored drawl of Yamanaka-senpai.

“Aww, Nobu-chan. Do you need some lovin’ too? Cause I’m all hugs ya know.” The Inuzuka’s cheshire grin came to a full blossom as he leered at the assistant captain. Said assistant captain pulled the young boy by his shoulders and began to escort him towards the tents before waving a flippant a hand,

“See you at dinner, Shun-chan.”

* * *

Once Kakashi was equipped with his ANBU uniform, he was instructed to sit on the Yamanaka’s cot. Noburu-senpai explained the tattoo process and its significance. He would be branded as a Ranger, a member of Squad 7. A simple 7R melded into one character. The tattoo would allow the Yamanaka to communicate through his kekkei genkai, but in order for that, Kakashi would have to wear a tattoo infused with both his chakra and the blonde’s.

As Noburu-senpai readied the ink, he asked the young boy where he would like his tattoo. Kakashi shrugged and said wherever was fine with him as he followed the Yamanaka’s instruction for infusing chakra into the ink. The assistant captain suggested his shoulder blade, to which Kakashi said was fine.

And thus sat Kakashi, under the tapping of a needle into his shoulder. It didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would.

“Noburu-senpai?”

“Yeah?” Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

“I didn’t think it would be this easy to get into Squad 7. Captain quizzed me about what a Ranger was. I guess I thought there would be more to it than just disrespectfully yelling at Nara-taichou and throwing bells at him.”

“Ah. Yeah, that was pretty ballsy.” Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. “Impressive, nonetheless. You’ve already got the skill, but the sheer tenacity was what sealed the deal. You’re very much like your father. There’s no doubt that you’d make an exceptional ranger.” Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. The Yamanaka noticed the rigidity spring into the boy’s spine and it wasn’t from the needle. “Regardless of what you think, Kakashi-kun, your father was a good man. It was an honor to be on the same field he was.” He only got a scoff as a response. It was quiet for a moment before the boy finally relaxed again.

“Noburu-senpai?”

“Yeah?” Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

“What’s was Sakura and Kurama’s Kakurenbo?” The thunking paused briefly before it resumed.

“Kakashi-kun, there is a reason why everyone in this camp makes bets on whether we return or not. We get handed the worst missions that no shinobi should ever deal with.”

“I know.” Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. He heard his senpai sigh in resignation.

“Kakurenbo started out as a joke, but when they weaponized it, it wasn’t as funny.” Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. “Sakura-chan’s summoning jutsu can blanket an entire village in darkness. Coupled with Kurama-kun’s genjutsu, they could manipulate the field in their favor. Using Sakura’s moon in the sky as a focal point, anyone who looked at it was done for. Aside from the perpetual darkness, Kurama could change the perception of senses. Paralyzing the enemy with their own fear was Kurama’s specialty. You know about the Kurama Clan’s kekkei genkai, right?”

“No.”

“The Kurama clan are exceptional genjutsu users. Genjutsu so potent that it can kill.” Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

“Oh.” And for a moment Kakashi thought he had some really big shoes to fill.

“Don’t think too much about it. You and Sakura-chan should develop your own style.” Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

“Ok, Senpai.” Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haruno Sakura, 13 YRO: Born in Konoha. She was recruited, and then drafted into the war at 10 YRO, where she started her Medic training program. Later, she was assigned to Squad 7 after being scouted by Shimura Danzo.
> 
> Birthday: March 28th  
Likes: anko dumplings, umeboshi, and anmitsu  
Dislikes: Spicy foods  
Hobbies: Hanging out with Kurama-kun, math puzzles, reading  
Squad designation: Medic Nin, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu specialist
> 
> Next up: Hatake Kakashi
> 
> Jutsu mentioned in this chapter:
> 
> 1) Lunar Liberation Technique (World Tilting Technique): Genjutsu.  
Based off the astronomy definition, the wagging of the Moon causes changes in perspective, permitting the observer to see slightly different halves of the surface at different times. Therefore, the shadow one sees blocking their vision is in the shape of a crescent moon. The neurotransmitters in their brain react to the chakra released, interpreting a 'wagging' motion to be perceived through all of the applicable senses.
> 
> 2) Astral Release: Ninjutsu  
I wanted to capitalize on Inner Sakura and make her more useful than just as an inner monologue. It is very much the simple concept of astral projection. Given that all of Sakura's family jutsu are celestial themed, I figured I'd make her spiritual projection similar to that of a black hole/ghost, thereby making her as immune to physical attacks as much as possible. Very similar to the Yamanaka Hiden-type jutsu, expect its a projection is all.
> 
> 3) Summoning Jutsu: Lunar Occultation: Ninjutsu  
Lunar Occultation is just a fancy way of saying Lunar Eclipse. Thus, Sakura just summons a half crescent moon. The moon which she summons allows her abilities to strengthen. After having years of practice and multiple experiences utilizing it, she can now use it to cover the length of a full village if she so chooses. As stated, this was her father's original jutsu; He has another moon he summons, which is the blood moon. Dun dun dun!


	3. Butcher

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Friday, homies. And my back feels like it belongs to a 95 YRO woman, so. 
> 
> Thanks for all the love, again! I really appreciate it!
> 
> Also: does anyone know why the notes doubled in Chapter 2? Cause that was heckin' annoying.
> 
> (Edit: 11/10/2019, I totes figured out why my notes were doubling. So I fixed that.)

Itch. Itch. Itch.

Yamanaka-senpai told him it would itch and not to touch it. It was getting pretty hard to ignore and it’d only been a couple of hours since the tattoo was finished. At least lunch with the team kept his mind off of it. But now that he was virtually sitting on the sidelines while the rest of the squad began their late afternoon training sessions, he was getting bored and goddamnit it _itched_.

At least it was in a place that wasn’t _too_ convenient to scratch.

And so sat Kakashi, next to Sakura-chan on a log, who by the way, had her nose buried in that silly math puzzle book _again_, while he watched his new teammates work out together. The Inuzuka and his ninken were currently sparring the Uzumaki and Aburame in a none-too-serious game of ‘tag,’ apparently. Nara-taichou and Noburu-senpai were currently working out strategies and laying plans for the mission they were supposed to be leaving for tomorrow.

In spite of the fact that no one seemed to be remotely taking anything serious around here, Nara-taichou and Yamanaka-senpai excluded, Kakashi felt oddly subdued. He recalled that he’d seem to sink into a sort of mellow mood ever since his out-of-character outburst yesterday. Although a little nonplussed to say the least, the tension and stick up his ass (as Obito used to eloquently mutter) seemed to dislodge ever so slightly, and he really couldn’t lie to himself—it was a pleasant sort of feeling.

He watched on, enjoying the view from a third party stand point. There was an uncanny familiarity in the atmosphere. Inuzuka Shun and Aburame Hideyoshi were arguing over the finer details of childish games—well, more like Inuzuka-senpai calling Aburame-senpai a ‘dirty cheater,’ for reasons he missed, and Yui-senpai doing her best to placate everyone. A ghostly sort of echo, reminiscent of the quarrels between a silver haired boy and a black haired boy. When they failed to listen to her (more like ignored her), she forced them into submission with her fists. Kind of how Kushina-sama was notorious for doing to him and Obito.

Then there was Taichou and Yamanaka-senpai. Captain reminded him of Minato-sensei in more ways than one; Nara-taichou naturally drew respect from Kakashi and could read him like an open book in the same manner. Then, there were moments Yamanaka-senpai showed the same sort of relaxed playfulness that definitely reminded him of his father when he just a tiny tot.

And then there was Sakura-chan, whose smile rivaled the sun, much like Rin could—

“Kakashi-kun?” The pinkette’s voice broke him from his reverie and suddenly his shoulder started to burn and itch again.

“Yeah?”

“We’re heading back to the bunk.”

“Oh.” He watched as she held out her hand; she had a little twinkle in her eyes that probably meant she caught him day dreaming. _God, this was bad_. Maybe he should have just taken that ANBU position instead. Pushing his thoughts aside, he took her warm and calloused hand anyways.

“How’s the shoulder?” Kakashi spared her a glance and shrugged.

“Itches.” Without warning, he felt a hand on his shoulder followed by an immediate cooling sensation, stopping him in his tracks. Memories of Rin flooded into his mind, remembering all the times she healed him. Except Sakura-chan’s chakra was different. It felt smooth and calm as it soothed his aching skin, like she’d done this a million times. Which was probably the case, given that she handed his ass to him earlier. Either way, it felt…nice. _Really nice_. As opposed to the usual feeling of someone else’s chakra _invading_ his tissues, recalling all the times it either tickled or burned whenever Rin practiced on them.

“Thanks.” He said at last when her hand dropped back to her side.

“No problem, partner!” She grinned at him before resuming her steady gait, leading him back towards the barracks.

* * *

Four days later found Kakashi squatting in a tree approximately 20 clicks away from the little village they were investigating. His first mission with Squad 7. As he scanned the horizon, Sakura sat behind him watching their six. Or at least, she was _supposed_ to, but instead, she was busy solving another puzzle. Slightly annoyed, he whispered,

“Anything?” She hummed a nuh-uh, before scratching something on paper. “Is your book more interesting than the mission?” His partner glanced at him briefly before returning to her paperback with a shrug.

“This puzzle _is_ pretty tough.” She gave him a cheeky grin, forcing him to shake his head instead of biting out a retort. “Besides, you’re working hard over there yourself, more than enough for the two of us.” She teased, which earned her an irritated huff from her partner. _Oh, so that’s how it is?_ _What a slacker_.

“Do you take anything seriously?” He couldn’t help himself.

“Of course not.” He didn’t say anything for a while after that, refusing to give in to her teasing. He could understand the lackadaisical attitudes back at the camp but out on a mission? _You’ve got to be kidding_. Seriously, they walked out of the camp like it was their last day on Earth proudly, and here she was—dissolved in a puzzle book over their assignment, with no remorse or shame. _Whatever, probably just beating a dead horse at this point_. He returned to scanning the horizon again when her voice broke the silence,

“Relax, Kakashi-kun. Have some faith in everyone.”

“You’re the only one who’s got their face in a puzzle.” He muttered, not really caring if she heard or not.

“Ne, Kakashi-kun, what do you like to do in your spare time?” He felt a nudge at his shoulder.

“Train.”

“You don’t have any hobbies _at all_?” He could feel her shifting, probably to stare a hole into the back of his head if the way his hair prickled at the back of his neck indicated.

“…”

The prickling sensation didn’t go away.

“Oh!” She gasped, “Quick! There’s a group of shinobi coming our way!” Kakashi twisted around so fast, scanning the meadows below, that he barely heard his partner poorly concealing her giggles through clenched teeth around a wooden pencil. It was his turn to grit his teeth as the vein on his forehead began to throb.

“Am I a joke to you?” He hissed before he turned back around to face the little village; he could feel his ire burn red on his cheeks. Possibly from embarrassment—no, definitely from irritation. Definitely.

“Why are you so serious?” She shot back in a playful tone.

“A shinobi must always put the mission first.” It was an automatic response, but there was a bitterness that belied it. A rule he lived by so religiously and now, while he was perched in a tree with apparently the personification laissez-faire at his back, he realized he hard time reconciling between then and now. Yes, it was bitter. Very, very bitter.

“I think you need a hobby, Kakashi-kun.” He could feel her nudge again at his shoulder. Rolling his eyes, he went back to focusing on his assignment. The more he focused on the horizon, the more his thoughts began to betray him as he began to wonder himself. What _were_ the things he enjoyed before death stole all the precious things in his life? Then he began to wonder back to the 'happiest times' of his toddlerhood before he realized that he couldn’t quite recall much other than being hoisted up into father’s arms when he was a very young boy.

Before he could immerse himself down memory lane, Yamanaka-senpai’s voice rang inside his head,

_‘Recon complete. Rendezvous back.’_

He heard his partner stand and stretch, her spine crackling like a campfire. They both jumped down and began walking back towards their little makeshift camp when the stench of blood assaulted his nose. He hung back while Sakura kept her nose busy inside the spine of her book, fingers twitching absently around her pencil. His eyes swept their current surroundings as the smell of iron and copper grew stronger and stronger.

About a mile from their tree, he found the source of the blood. His nose pointed him to the direction of a pile of carcasses that were crudely bunched underneath a thicket of bushes, before he caught a glimpse of that eerie black clone with the blank mask before it faded into the breeze. He took note of the blood that had already congealed around the open wounds of their necks and on the grassy ground. They had been there for a while…

When Sakura could feel Kakashi’s eyes boring into the back of her skull, she finally looked over her shoulder and gave him a smile with a small shrug.

“We need to get you a hobby, Kakashi-kun.”

* * *

Squad 7 sat themselves in a little pow-wow circle and listened respectfully to Aburame-senpai go over his findings from his recon within the little village. He found that the village was indeed aiding their enemy and that a majority of the residents were undercover shinobi operatives maintaining the front. There was an underground cave that stored weapons and supplies, obviously meant for shipping out towards the enemy lines or to other camps.

Afterward, Nara-taichou began to lay plans. The strategy was this: at 0330 hours, they will converge upon the phony village in a three point triangle, with instruction to take out the watch posts first. The Inuzuka and his ninken will take the front gate, destroying the entrance; with his speed, he will be laying bombs and traps along the earthly walls to secure the perimeter; thereafter, he would continue to maintain his hold over the North end of the village with Shunhei. Aburame-senpai and Yui-senpai will infiltrate next, and head straight for the supply cave; with Aburame-senpai covering, the seal master should be able to seal all of their supplies before destroying the cave. Kakashi and Sakura-chan will take the western side of the village while Nara-taichou and Yamanaka-senpai took the eastern side. A simple strategy of divide and conquer with _explicit instruction to leave none alive_.

As soon as Nara-taichou gave the directive, Kakashi felt conflicted. For starters, where did he begin? This was absolute madness. There were at least 1500 armed soldiers behind those walls and only seven of them, eight if he included the Doberman. He wasn’t a math enthusiast like his counterpart, but he was quite certain that he and Sakura-chan would be tasked with slaying 375-500 ninja alone—a vast main course with an extensive side dish of carnage to garnish and expedite.

He recognized the nervousness he felt from the sweat in his palms; he had only ever encountered no more than twenty shinobi at any given time, but he was always in a four-man squad. Kakashi had no issue with killing enemies; the issue was in the numbers. Even if she was skilled enough, Kakashi couldn’t help but feel _a little_ overwhelmed at the same time. And if he hadn’t been confident enough in Sakura’s ability, he would say that they were being sent to their deaths.

But that’s what Squad 7 specialized in right? Suicide missions? Missions no shinobi should ever have to take? This is what he wanted, right? The opportunity to walk through Death’s doorway without looking back?

He looked at his partner beside him. Her girlie face, listening with rapt attention, determination set in her brow bone and sharp emerald eyes. There was no trace of fear in her very, very girlie face. When she caught him staring, her lips quirked into a smile before returning to the discussion.

_Promise me, Bakashi. Promise me you’ll look after her?_

He hadn’t noticed when his back began to strain, or his nails dig into his palm, or the subtle increase in his breaths.

_Fuck. Oh god,_ what if he failed? What if he couldn’t protect his partner? Like Rin or Obito? What then? He couldn’t exactly just let himself die because 1500 shinobi was _a lot_ for just a meager squad of seven members and a ninken. He was more than fine with just dying by himself, but not if it cost the lives of his team members on this little shin-dig. He had promised that he would never let a teammate die, and Kakashi wasn’t the type of boy who took things lightly. No, he would just have to survive this mission. This would not be an _appropriate time_ to die. He steeled his resolve, and wasn’t quite sure if he was relieved or disappointed.

They were dismissed, with the exception of Kakashi, for the rest of the evening to relax. Captain Nara held him back to teach him a simple emergency flare jutsu, in the event things went south on his end. The silver haired jonin was a little disturbed; suspicious that the Nara was reading his mind during the briefing tonight. Either way, he focused, using the Sharingan to copy the hand signs.

Once he was finished, he returned to the tent he shared with his partner. She was already curled under her bed roll. Hopefully asleep, he thought, as he quietly slipped into his sleeping bag and turned his back to her.

“Ne, Kakashi-kun?” Oh no. She was awake. He rolled over and fixed her with a blank look. “Tell me a secret?” He contemplated her for a minute, staring into her innocent green eyes, dulled by the darkness of the tent.

“Why?”

“Because you’re my partner, duh.” She stuck her tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes and turned back over, before mumbling something. “What was that?”

“After the mission. I’ll tell you after the mission.” By then, perhaps she’d forget. Or maybe she wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a truth and lie. It was anyone’s gamble at this late hour.

“Thank you, Kakashi-kun. I’d like that.”

After a moment of staring at his side of the tent, he couldn’t help but ask the question that had been bouncing around his noggin every now and then,

“Do you miss Kurama-kun?”

“Yeah, I do.” She sounded wistful as she whispered her admission to the back of his head. “He was super serious like you, all the time.” She giggled, poking his back with her finger, prompting Kakashi to throw her a glare over his shoulder. “But he was really nice and gentle. And he liked to do puzzles with me. I finished that hard one from earlier today, by the way.” She poked his shoulder this time.

“Glad to hear it.” He grumbled, feeling a little awkward talking about her dead partner that he replaced. Well, he dug this hole himself, he supposed.

“Don’t worry Kakashi-kun, we’ll get you a hobby, too.” He heard her say through her yawn before he felt a weight shift closer to his back and a warm breath ghost over the baby hairs at the nape of his neck. “G’night.” He stiffened as he realized that she was cuddling up to his back for reasons only the Gods knew. He dared not move, feeling entirely too uncomfortable.

As Kakashi laid there, wide awake, back muscles beginning to twang under the tension, his mind reeled with recollections of his days with Team Minato. He could feel his breathing become shallow as his chest tightened with memories soaring through his vision. Before his body nose-dived into a stress-induced episode, he felt that cooling sensation at the base of his neck, between his shoulders, and the warm palm behind it. Then he felt her nose at his nape before her warm breath ghosted over it again,

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’ll go back to my side.” She whispered. Before his brain could catch up to the feelings stirring around his mouth, he quickly replied,

“No, it’s fine.” Her warm fingers and cooling chakra were making quick work of the tension in his back, and he could feel himself begin to unwind. It felt nice and soothing. He could feel the pressure in his chest release.

“Okay.” His eyes grew heavy as he focused on the sensation on his back and her warm breath. He was melting to her ministrations. Peculiarly, it felt right, like a cure for all the torment his tiny body endured over the years, especially this year. Before he knew it, Kakashi was asleep to the feeling of chakra caressing around his chest and heart. In the moments after he’d wake later that night, he would come to realize it was the first peaceful sleep he’d had in months.

* * *

At 03:15, Kakashi stirred to the feelings of moisture and a very faint snore at the base of neck. The feel of hot breath on his collar had him taut all over again before the remnants of last night began to clutch at the back of sleeveless turtleneck.

Kakashi, as gently as he could, began to get up from his bedroll. Glancing down, he took a moment to look at his partner who, in all her innocent glory, had a string of drool gracing _his_ _pillow_, and her warm calloused fingers falling to rest where his back had been. He could hear the rustle about the camp, signaling the other members of the squad were also preparing for their mission.

“Sakura?” He whispered as he nudged her with his knee. She stirred only slightly; he watched as she sucked in a little bit of drool uselessly into her open mouth. He called her name again and was graced with no answer. His own calloused hands came up to rub furiously at his face before trying once more. He turned his torso towards her, and with a little more certainty, placed a hand on her shoulder to push gently before saying her name aloud.

She finally moved after a couple seconds. She inhaled a deep breath prior to sluggishly opening her eyes. He knew the moment her vision focused enough when a smile had graced her lips.

“G’morning.” She pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes as she let out a silent yawn. After scrubbing her face with her hands, she gave her scalp the same treatment with a little more nails. Sleep seemed to cling to her unlike himself—the ever alert, prodigious, professional 12 year old jonin. Since he had finished getting ready in the time it took Sakura to realize it was time to go on a mission, he was already crawling out of the tent flaps.

He was greeted by the other members of Squad 7, sitting half awake, still curled in their bed rolls, and munching haphazardly on ration bars. Even the Aburame had forgone the trench coat in favor of burrowing into his blanket for a few more moments. With his glasses on, it was hard to tell if he was even actually awake. The only person who seemed to be remotely ready to go was Captain Nara, sitting under the moonlight crunching on his own bar while staring at scroll.

“Good morning, Kakashi-kun. Sit.” Came his captain, and he obediently complied. “Enjoy a few moments to yourself. Might be your last.” Without even looking up from the scroll, he tossed a small package at Kakashi’s face. Ah, so this was some sort of pre-suicide-mission ritual. The next thing he heard was Sakura shuffling and plopping down beside him, her own breakfast in her tiny hands.

Moments later, Squad 7 was flying through the trees at an easy speed. Kakashi noticed his partner wasn’t in any rush to get into position and decided that perhaps it would be best to follow her lead. After having rationalized every aspect of this mission more than a million times since the briefing, he figured it was best to learn the dynamics on the field first before he could fall into a comfortable groove himself. He also made a mental note to begin working on a style with Sakura that would make their future missions efficient.

The youngest pair of the squad reached the western wall, Kakashi having dispatched the guards present with ease. Blood dribbled down the front of his mask and onto the grass below his feet. He felt his partner’s presence more than he heard it when she came to stand beside him under the light of the moon. Their gazes scanning the earthly erected barriers, awaiting their signal.

“Are you nervous Kakashi-kun?” When she heard no response, she continued on, “I was nervous on my first mission.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Three years ago, I think.” The young boy didn’t bother to spare her a glimpse, opting to catalog that bit of information inside his head. The Third World War started three years ago, if he remembered correctly. Was she drafted when it started? His thoughts trailed off half-heartedly into Sakura-related territory momentarily. At that point, he heard the first of many explosions to come.

So it begins.

“Remember to have some faith, Kakashi-kun.” She softly spoke as he hurled himself over the crumbling wall.

* * *

Well, Inuzuka-senpai wasn’t full of shit, Kakashi thought, as his eyes surveyed the flames that surrounded the village. He was engaged with several enemy shinobi, with the Sakura’s at his back. The gates went down as quickly as they went up in flames—mere seconds. He had to have been as fast as Minato-sensei.

Their opposition was agile enough to register they were under attack; they swarmed out of the woodwork like ants out of a hill. They were quick to use earth style jutsu, and Kakashi was just as quick to copy them all, countering their attacks with effortlessness. The first wave of nin were quickly cut down by their own elaborate jutsu. The same could not be said for the second wave, which had far greater reinforcements, who also had the time to watch the juvenile duo easily make cannon fodder of their fallen comrades.

The second group proved to the youngest pair that they actually required concentration and careful planning. Their combinations of earth and water style were efficient; however, both styles easily succumbed to lightening styled techniques. Kakashi’s arsenal of lightening jutsu was limited, but it got him by enough to weaken their offense before striking them all down with the electrical currents from his Chidori. It stunned them enough for Sakura’s clone to zip by, stealing their last breaths with the cold steel of a kunai through the trachea.

The third wave of Shinobi made Kakashi realize that he getting fatigued after using his own trademark jutsu about four times consecutively. Only 150 at best were slain at this point. He briefly glanced back at his partner who was using taijutsu, speed, and her small frame to her advantage. He caught the sheen of her skin and the metallic glints of blood on her mask beneath the moonlight; she, too, was working just as hard, but he doubted she was gasping for the same amount of breaths as he was, and it was getting more obvious by the minute.

As the last of this wave began to breathe their last, the fourth wave was already descending upon them. Numbness began to seep into his joints. His Sharingan was beginning to feel overloaded with the amount of new jutsus he was copying and utilizing. He could feel the tenderness creeping inside his chakra coils from the jagged pulls of the doujutsu manipulating none too naturally within. Can’t die yet, he chanted inside his head, and it was enough to fuel himself.

_'Target sealed.'_ Resounded Yamanaka-senpai’s voice. Subsequently, the cries of the battlefield became louder, the ground trembled rather than vibrated, and the sounds of violence grew to decibels he was sure could alert another village if he was a betting man. Was that laughter and glee he could hear from the other side of the village? It sounded an awful like Yui-senpai. Screams and explosions and the crackling of burning homes rang inside his ears.

With half of his mind wandering about the battlefield, he failed to notice the sucker punch from one of the six shinobi he was currently occupied with in an even match. Immediately after recovering, he registered Sakura’s presence became infinitely closer than it had been, at least enough to watch her work through a couple hand signs before muttering the incantation for the world tilting technique.

The several dozen of shinobi that surrounded them were immediately effected; some having lost their balance and scrambling to right themselves. Others proceeded to empty their stomachs onto the earth below. With their perceptions of the world skewed, their aims succumbed to it as well. Shuriken and kunai were thrown with the same accuracy as infants wielding chubby fingers in the air. If Kakashi wasn’t so hyper-alert right now, he would have missed the way Sakura snarled or how her chakra seemed to violently emanate around her. Her clone, which evidently picked up a newer pace of speed that could rival his own, quickly made work of the vulnerable enemies at their weakest moment.

“Can you produce one more Chidori?” It seemed more like a demand rather than a question, but he grunted a confirmation before quickly popping a soldier pill and crushing it with his molars. The tart and bitter tastes coating his tongue like a sticky adhesive.

He felt Sakura stand still at his back and watched as her clone reappeared next to her, forming a triangle. Kakashi surveyed his surroundings; there had to be over a hundred ninja surrounding them now. The moon had already reached its peak in the middle of the night and had shifted towards the western side of the sky. The exhaustion in his bones was pleasantly dulled by the soldier pill and he could feel his chakra supply beginning to multiply within the coils of his belly. He wasted no time going through the hand signs for one last Chidori.

As their enemy closed in, he glanced behind his back to watch his partner and her clone running through a series of seals at the same speed; the Sharingan counted and memorized—Dog, Ox, Hare, Dragon, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Boar, and lastly, Dog.

“Tidal Manipulation.”

The ground thundered and Kakashi watched as the water from the previous jutsus skittered across the blood stained grass and dirt to a focal point somewhere in front of Sakura. The mass of moisture began to grow within seconds, forming a massive tidal wave that hid the moon behind it, giving it an unnatural glow as it stood erect.

Every enemy within their proximity gazed up, captivated by the colossal wall of water. The young pair took their window of opportunity; Sakura and her clone jumped upward to a nearby building with Kakashi following suit, his Chidori chirping pleasantly behind him. He watched as the wall of water began to descend with all of its giant glory. It flooded the roadways and mixed with upturned mountains of dirt, crumbled drywall, and the blood of the fallen.

As the Shinobi below found themselves head over heels, drowning in water, Kakashi scaled down the side of the building and plunged his lightening into the water and watched as the water violently reacted to its stimulus. Arcs of electricity caressed the maddening currents below, the smell of burning and melting flesh began to waft upwards, carried along the breezes of steam that floated aloft. The silver haired jonin kept fueling chakra into his left arm and concentrating on maintaining his hold upon his jutsu.

Bodies began to float upwards, lifeless, with the evidence of bright red feathery marks tattooing their skin. Sparks danced across the metal of their forehead protectors as he continued to fuel his energy into the body of water below. Sweat and blood began to roll over his brow bone, his masks sticky with perspiration as he focused.

When Kakashi could spare no more, having felt the well within his belly starting to empty dangerously low, he quelled the flow of chakra to his left arm and pulled it out of the water before returning to his partner’s side. They stood upon the edge and watched as the remaining of his jutsus’ energy danced around anything that was conducive to electricity. The smell of fried skin permeated their senses, a scent Kakashi still hadn’t grown accustomed to. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the decimation they created. The water began to color into a deeper shade of purple and black as it began leveling off, its currents carried outwards and flooding the surrounding area of the village. Once a few minutes had passed, the level had reduced to meager inches over the ground.

“Western side secured.” He heard Sakura’s voice, devoid of any emotion. He turned to look at his partner as she slowly pulled off her mask, disregarding standard protocol. The expression she wore was entirely different to the ones he typically associated it with. This look matched the same tone that crossed inside his head. Her bright eyes were as dull as decayed and withered paint.

He followed her line of sight to a small form laid at her feet. It couldn’t have been a child no more than eight years old that lay in the puddle of his comrade’s blood. His brown hair matted with mud and crimson. He could see the angry red lines of the electrical burn mar the pale canvass of his skin. His eyes were half lidded but no more dead than the next shinobi a foot away. The skin of his tiny hands had a kunai melted into the palm.

Amongst the battle, it hadn’t really occurred to him that he would be fighting people younger than him (much less children) as his experience always lead to encounters with Shinobi of equal skill and maturity as himself. It also hadn't occurred to him that said fights would also equate to killing children. The sudden awareness of their lives verses that of the youngest of the young was as noxious as ipecac syrup. He looked up and watched as Sakura’s clone approached her from behind and melted into her; he turned his eyes away, still not comfortable with the black ghost.

Flickers in peripherals had him looking toward the Eastern side of the village and he watched as the rest of their team lay destruction and death to other side. But he found he could neither move from his spot as the Sharingan continued to etch-a-sketch his surroundings into the subconsciousness of his mind; the blank eyes that all seemed to look directly at him, and the distinct smell of iron and metal became burned into his olfactory sense.

The fruits of war, young and old, lay beneath the squelching of his sandals. Dirt and blood. The feelings of emptiness began to swell in his abdomen and along with a coldness in his bones. Death was not new to him. He had killed before. It was as easy as breathing.

But this was different. This sort of desecration was a whole new facet of War for Kakashi. The sort of desecration he helped to create on a large scale. As his eyes scanned the countless bodies around him, the feeling in his stomach grew stronger. The smells grew intensely and the realization of what he’d just done had begun to sink into his battered bones. This was as nauseating as much as it was equally pernicious. There was truth behind the _Dog Eat Dog World_ concept, but this…this transcended that type of realm in the most perverse and wicked manner imaginable. Because this was not of honor nor of righteous duty.

_I think I’ve made a mistake, Minato-sensei._

He was only quick enough to tear his own ceramic mask away before his vomit hit the bloody wet ground below.

This…this was a slaughter. And he was the butcher.

* * *

**Notes:** Because I can't figure why the heck the notes doubled, I'm just gonna put everything else here, because the mobile formatting makes the notes atrocious to read. So I'm sorry for all the mobile readers out there :(

Hatake Kakashi, 12 YRO: Current Jonin of Konoha, former member of Team Minato.

Birthday: September 15th

Likes: Training

Dislikes: ???

Hobbies: ???

Squad designation: Ninjutsu Offense

Next up: Inuzuka Shun & Shunhei

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jutsus mentioned in this chapter:
> 
> 1) Tidal Manipulation: Ninjutsu  
Following the celestial themes, with the moon's gravitational influence on the water, Sakura can also manipulate it in the same manner. The user funnels chakra through their feet and into the ground below, and it beckons the moisture towards it's pull until the user is satisfied with the amount of water culled (i.e. the tidal wave). 
> 
> Thanks again everyone! I'll see you guys next Friday! :D
> 
> Be safe and be well throughout your weekends,  
McKellerton


	4. Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg. I have literally worked the last 9 days and have had zero time. TT^TT When I have more time, I'm going to come back and polish this up a bit. I would have waited until Saturday to post, but I'm getting called in tonight, therefore, I plan on being in a coma for a majority of my Saturday. SOS. halp. 
> 
> Please enjoy.
> 
> ps: you'll want this for later  
[Free - Gungor (ft. William Matthews)](https://youtu.be/DcJpae-4Wyw)

_War was a rich man’s game_, Kakashi learned that day. _And the shinobi were the expendables_. He collapsed on his cot. They returned back to camp only moments ago, allowing him several hours to unwind before dinner. He was exhausted, despite the leisure pace in which they returned. He watched his squad mates unpack and went about whatever post-mission rituals they did. Showers, mission reporting, and training, he briefly recalled.

But Kakashi wanted nothing more than to fall asleep for the rest of the day to rid himself of the little boy he’d killed back in Grass Country; his empty expression dancing across a grey iris along with Rin and Obito’s memories. He was numb, thankfully. In a way, being subdued like this was better than the typical angst and misery he grew much acquainted with back in his apartment in Konoha. Although, the logical side of him told him it wasn’t much of an upgrade.

Opening his eyes, he was greeted with his partner lying flat on her back, nose ever present in the puzzle book, next to his cot. He noticed her demeanor had returned to normalcy rather quickly before their mission ended. When the young pair replaced their masks, they returned to business and aided in securing the rest of the village, which was far easier to do with more than just to two of them.

Sakura had diligently stayed by his side, not at all perturbed by lack his of conversation and standoff behavior. Not that it mattered when her attentions were focused in the world of numbers and algorithms and chewing on pencils. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he was…in a way, grateful. Appreciative. She said nothing to him nor inquired about anything. She was just there. Her presence oddly comforting by just being within arm’s reach. She did occasionally join in in the casual banter, even genuinely smiling despite the monstrosities she’d committed only hours ago.

Everyone else was busy in their own cogitations—Yui-senpai cataloguing in a sing song voice of what she was able to steal from their cave. Inuzuka-senpai boasting of breaking his previous record of speed and recounting of all the ‘badassery moments’ with theatrics and dramatic flair. Aburame and Yamanaka-senpai listened and took everything they said in stride with the occasional nod of acknowledgment. Nara-taichou was busy with his own nose in a scroll as he grunted monosyllables when the conversation involved him; he did however, spare the young boy a glance. Kakashi was uncertain if that was concern in his eyes, but the he was pretty sure it was more so out of curiosity than anything. The Captain did express his doubts about him joining the ranks amongst Rangers from the get-go, after all.

His single eye closed again, his energy spent just enough to earn him a ticket to slumber land.

* * *

Sakura wasn’t really all too into her puzzles today, having been working on the same one for the better half of a couple hours. When she heard her partner’s breathing even out, her eyes shifted to get a good look at him for the first time since they returned.

Satisfied, she returned her ministrations to scratching away on thin, white paper.

She began to recall her first mission as a Ranger. It was equally as brutal—assassination of a wealthy noble in the land of Earth, whose agenda involved employing bandits and missing ninja to prey on innocent Konoha women and children civilians who were patriotically delivering supplies to their ports stationed around the front lines. Death and slavery awaited the citizens who were only upholding their duty to the Land of Fire.

Inside the Noble’s castle was a dream land of elegance and wealth that harbored terror and nightmares for the first several months of her Ranger-hood. Once the bandits and mercenaries were easily slain, they stormed through the aristocratic walls and ornate cherry oak doors. It was easy to kill the poorly trained but loyal servants throughout the castle, but it wasn’t easy to cope with it. Especially when it meant slaying children who had been too brainwashed and too feral to rescue. Despite Nara-taichou’s admission that it wouldn’t have been feasible to escort a caravan of ‘tainted goods,’ it didn’t stop the emptiness and shallowness that skulked around her heart in the middle of the night.

With Kurama-kun as her partner, and the most experienced between the pair, he spared Sakura the majority of the angst by ending most of the children’s tragedy with his genjutsu. And whomever he failed to ensnare was left to Sakura, thankfully only a handful, but unfortunately one too many. She too, learned what it meant to be expendable in a world that was ran by untouchable entities at the impressionable age of 11.

For many days and nights, he stayed by her side, patient and understanding. When the night terrors were at their worst, and she was reduced to nothing but a shell, and the sobs wracked her small body, he had held her through it all.

Now she was a fully-fledged Ranger at the ripe age of 13, with a laundry list of heinous acts that would make even the Gods of the underworld cringe. However, under Kurama-kun’s care, she was able to find ways to cope, able to shut out the part of her she hated the most with number sequences she could obsessively narrow her focus on.

‘_Hobbies are important to have in life_.’ The voice of her partner’s baritone whispered in her head as she gave one last look at her new partner.

She lifted herself up off of her own cot and tucked her partner in gingerly under his blanket. With one last look, she exited the tent, and made her way to the mess hall. The lunch rush was winding down; she was able to spot her squad mates sans the captain. Sitting down with her own meal, she began to pick at it before opening,

“Senpai,” She started, addressing anyone who would listen, and ultimately gaining everyone’s attention, “I need help.”

“Whassap?” Shun-kun said through a mouthful of rice, delegating himself the spokesperson for the other three pairs of eyes trained on her.

“We need to get Kakashi-kun a hobby.” The ninken handler, swallowed down his morsel before adorning a thoughtful expression.

“That bad, huh?” He wondered aloud, not paying attention to Shunhei stealing bits of meat off the human food plate. Hideyoshi-kun turned fully to the tiniest table member, his smooth voice,

“That’s very thoughtful of you, Sakura-chan.” He nodded his approval. With the extra set of eyes through his insects, he was able to figure out the minute their newest squad mate’s attitude had changed and it was after the young pair had discovered they had taken a very, very young life.

“Well, what does he like, Sakura-chan?” Yui-chan said between nibbles on her chopstick.

“Not much.” She muttered in defeat. If only Kurama-kun was here, he would know what to do, she mused.

“Well, we do have a week before our next mission; perhaps…a quality vacation is in order.” Came Noburu-kun, resting his head in his palm, the gerbils already taken to the wheels in his head. “We do have to go back to Grass again, and I’m sure Taichou wouldn’t mind an excursion out of the camp along the way.”

“Great idea!” Yui-chan squealed with joy, a dark glint in her eyes that matched the sly grin on her face as she turned to the young girl sitting beside her, “And I have _many ideas_, Sakura-chan.”

Sakura’s innocent glee failed to notice the sultry look that Yui-chan sent to Hideyoshi-kun across the table, whose ear tips faintly twitched in response. She also managed to miss the ninken handler grunt something about ‘getting a tent.’ No, none of the subtle adult implications went noticed, Sakura too enchanted with solving the Kakashi-hobby-less puzzle. As her mind began to ease, she thought to herself how much Kurama-kun would be proud of her as she was forging her own Shinobi path in life.

* * *

Kakashi had woken up sometime after midnight, the feeling of hunger driving the force of his consciousness awake. His eyes felt heavy and sticky, but nonetheless managed to watch his surrounding fizz into focus. The sounds of a quiet voice registered in the background; his partner’s voice softly whispering.

His eyes shifted over to her cot and saw that she that laying on her stomach, her body lounging beneath the same standard issue itchy blanket, feet swinging back and forth beneath. Her arms supported her head as she faced her pillow…with an orange book propped against it. His vision hadn’t focused enough to allow him to see the cover of the little orange book—

“Papa sent me a new jutsu today and I haven’t had the chance to practice it yet. I wish you were here to help me with it, but that’s okay.”

Kakashi watched as she lowered her head to rest on the forearms she crossed underneath. “I’m not sad anymore Kurama-kun, even though I miss you a lot, but Kakashi-kun makes me feel a little better because he’s so much like you.” She poked the cover of the book as she grinned. “I think you two would have gotten along. He’s a lot like you, ya know. He’s so quiet and moody and super serious all the time. He doesn’t have any hobbies, though. But I’m gonna change that, just you wait and see!” Her eyes crinkled and she skin around her nose scrunched up as she tried to contain her grin.

“Ne, Kurama-kun, do you remember our mission at the Noble’s manor? Back when I was such a big cry baby? And you promised me that no matter what happens, you would always be my constant?” She paused, as if waiting for a response as she tilted her head and closed her eyes, “I’m want to be that for Kakashi-kun. He lost his teammates, too. What would you do, Kurama-kun?” She hummed, immersing herself in her thoughts.

Kakashi watched as she wiggled herself closer to the book to rest her forehead against it.

“Sometimes, I don’t know what to say to him. I don’t really know him at all. I’m a bad partner, haha.” Her titter was self-deprecating as she closed her eyes. “We are going to be heading back into Grass country soon. I hope you’re proud of me Kurama-kun. I’m finding my own path in life, just like you told me to. I hope the view from the stars is as glorious as Mama says it is. I’ll talk to you soon, Kurama-kun.”

As Kakashi slid his eyes closed, he saw that she hugged the book to her chest before placing it under pillow

* * *

“Hey Taichou, can we leave early for the mission?” Kakashi glanced up at his partner from across the breakfast table. Her eyes were focused on their Captain to her right at the end of the table. Taichou glanced up from his meal, chopsticks hesitating in midair, one brow arching.

“Yeah, _Taichou_.” Yui-senpai’s devious grin flowered upon her face. She tilted her head to the side, her pig tails caressing one side of her neck. “A little quick R&R. Whaddya say…_taichou_?” Kakashi did not miss the wink she sent to Aburame-senpai across the table. _Interesting_.

The captain pursed his lips as he rolled his eyes. He resumed shoveling eggs into his mouth before grunting.

“Thank you, Taichou!” Sakura-chan and Yui-senpai chimed. Kakashi also did not miss the covert fist bump under the table. His eyes narrowed at his partner as he took a sip of his water.

A few hours later, Kakashi and the rest of Squad 7 were walking their way out of the camp at an easy stride towards their destination. They were heading east along the border and would reach their destination within two days. There was a small port town along the way, which Kakashi learned where they would be resting and relaxing prior to the mission. It was a neat little hub for shinobi and merchants that were passing through. It was far enough from the border that it thankfully hadn’t been crushed from the war yet. Though, with the amount of shinobi going in and out of the town, it probably had all the protection it ever needed to weather the stress of war.

The youngest pair found themselves bringing up the rear, but hung back far enough to just barely hear the wisps of conversation taking place amongst the other members of their team. Kakashi’s keen eye had observed that the Aburame and Uzumaki had apparently developed a new milestone in their relationship by the way Uzumaki-senpai was shamelessly flirting, and Aburame-senpai’s ears twitching every time she said something remotely suggestive.

At least Uzumaki-senpai had someone to assault with her affections instead of himself.

“Kakashi-kun?” He grunted in response while he scanned the tree line next to him, watching as fellow shinobi were bounding among the limbs in the opposite direction they were heading. “Tell me that secret.” He turned his gaze toward her as she skillfully walked along a straight path despite the puzzle book blocking her line of sight. He sighed. He’d really hoped that she’d forgotten. He hadn’t had the time to think of something to tell her.

“I don’t have any.” He lied; her eyes glanced in his direction before she smiled into her book.

“Then tell me something you like instead.” Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets. She was relentless, he’d give her that.

“I like training.” He muttered.

“What’s your favorite thing to do in the world?”

“Why are you asking me these questions?”

“Why not?” She quipped back just as quickly. He rolled his eyes and huffed out a breath. He fingered a lose string in his pockets to occupy himself with rather than responding back to her. “We are partners after all. Wouldn’t it behoove us to get to know each other?”

“We do that when we train.”

“I still think you need a hobby outside of training.” She flicked her eraser down and began to effortlessly deal with a mistake she made. His eyes cast downward to the ankles of the shinobi walking in front of them. He huffed out another breath and was formulating a retort when heard her voice whisper in his head.

His irritation quelled as he recalled waking up last night to his partner conversing with an orange book. How she told her dead partner about how much he made her feel better. He felt a little bit of guilt beginning to creep up his spine towards the place where his heart was suspended. It grew when he remembered the bit about her promising to find him a hobby and how she promised to be his constant (whatever that meant) just as Kurama-kun was hers. Or how she sounded so defeated when she felt like a bad partner for not knowing him.

Then he remembered all those times Obito called him ‘Bakashi’ for brushing off Rin.

He gave a defeated exhale.

“I…” He started, throat growing tight, “I like eggplants.” He mumbled. His eyes quickly stole a look at his partner. He watched as her head dipped slightly and she smiled so big her eyes closed. Before long, he heard her say,

“I like umeboshi.”

She didn’t ask him anything else for the remainder of their travels. They reached the port town the next day.

* * *

There were a lot of bars. A lot of them. He noted how Yui-senpai was all too eager to drag Aburame-senpai towards one of those said bars. He also noted how Inuzuka-senpai bellyached under his breath as he picked up the aforesaid shinobi’s abandoned packs on the ground.

“Sakura-chan, Kakashi-chan do me a favor.” Shun-senpai called.

“Yes, Shun-kun?” Said Sakura.

“_Always_ keep it in your pants.” He threw the youngest pair a sour look while Nara-taichou lead them towards the inn they would be staying at for the duration of the mini vacation. Kakashi watched as his partner turned the brightest shade of red he had ever seen on her face. Kakashi was no better himself; reduced to feeling _incredibly awkward_ as the pair trudged behind a very grumpy ninken handler.

Sakura went back to her puzzle book with much more gusto than she had throughout their journey and he may or may not have heard her mutter ‘_asshole’_ between her grumblings. Already too shocked by Inuzuka-senpai’s ‘advice,’ there wasn’t much more room for surprises as the revelation of his bubbly partner uttering naughty words that were so incongruent of a girl like herself. He could at least agree with her on this. He had no intentions of indulging in any of the three Shinobi Prohibitions. That’s for damn sure.

“What was that brat?” He scowled over his shoulder, which earned him a well-aimed puzzled book at his forehead,

“Just because Yui-chan likes Hide-kun, doesn’t mean you get to take it out on us!” She folded her arms across her chest. “Besides, I can’t always keep it in my pants if I get sent out on _those_ missions.”

“Aren’t you like seven?” He threw her book back at her, just as hastily.

“I’m thirteen, thank you!” She snatched her book out of the air before it could land on her face, and placed it back into her pouch.

“What’s the damn difference?” He groused.

They had reached the lobby of the inn they were standing in. Kakashi and Shunhei were off to the side, watching the bickering duo go back and forth. Nara-taichou and Yamanaka-senpai completely oblivious or uninterested in their behavior as they stood at the desk to secure their rooms. Kakashi glanced next to the dog, who sat on his haunches bringing him eye level with himself. Shunhei rolled his eyes before letting out what could probably be labeled as an unimpressed grunt-bark from his throat.

Kakashi shrugged himself before changing the focal point of his gaze to somewhere else other than his squad mate’s quarrel.

“My birthday was in March! How can you forget already, old man?” She went to kick his shins, but he easily held her at bay with a strong hand to her forehead in the most comical fashion.

“Watch it pipsqueak!” He barked. His arm started to tremble as she reinforced her stance with a little bit of chakra.

“I’ll show you pipsqueak!” As her hand snuck into her shuriken pouch on her thigh, Yamanaka-senpai came over and scooped Sakura up around the waist, throwing her over his shoulder. Nara-taichou then thunked Shun behind the head with his scroll.

“Bad dog.” Came Nara-taichou with compressed lips, evidently unenthused with his conduct. Shun-senpai began to rub the back of his head. “Stop egging her on. You two better be on your best behavior or it’ll be drills for the two of you.” The two being scolded bowed their head and conceded in grumbles.

The four of them and the ninken made their way upstairs and went to their respective rooms. Nara-taichou and Yamanaka-senpai roomed together. Taichou graciously gave Aburame and Uzumaki-senpai their own room…while Kakashi, Sakura-chan, and Shun-senpai shared a room in between them.

“Great. Thanks Taichou. This should be a treat.” Shun said with a toothy smile that obviously fake.

“You’re welcome. We’ll be out for most of the evening. No fighting.” He gave a non-committal wave over his shoulder as he and the blonde walked down the stairs towards the lobby.

Sakura shoved her key into the door, allowing the rest of the boys to follow in after her. Kakashi watched as Sakura took to her futon and began unpacking all of her items, with Shun doing the same on the futon that was the farthest from the Uzumaki-Aburame room.

He sighed and began to unpack.

* * *

After settling themselves in, Shun-senpai declared he and Shunhei were going to get dinner and head off to train, but not before telling the youngest pair, in no uncertain terms, to maintain a distance of no more than three feet apart and to keep their dangly bits to themselves. This also prompted Sakura to throw her hairbrush at his face, which absolutely missed and ended up clacking against the swiftly closed door.

Kakashi suppressed a groan.

He couldn’t decide which was worse—the incessant reminder from Inuzuka-senpai or Minato-sensei’s talk about the birds and the bees.

Speaking of, he looked at his partner. The banter of the day finally setting in. She was grabbing her toiletries and a spare change of clothes—civvies he noticed —and went to the bathroom, presumably to freshen up for whatever it was she planned on doing that evening. Which left him to the musings of his own inner dialogues.

She was older than him by several months. Kakashi would also be turning 13 himself in September this year. For some reason, knowing that she was older, eased the blow to his ego a bit. Secretly, he wouldn’t admit how silly and humiliating it felt thinking an underclassman was miles and miles ahead of him enough to mop the floor with his face. Yet, how odd it was that they were so close in age but he had never seen her before—pink hair was kind of hard to miss—at the academy. He graduated when he was six; did she graduate early too? Who was Sakura-chan really?

Someone with a short fuse it appears, having lost her cool within minutes after Inuzuka-senpai terrorized the two of them. Or maybe she was a prude? Not likely, given that she apparently had zero qualms about seduction missions. If she wasn’t a prude, then she was certainly strange. Kakashi had no clue what the hell was going on. There was no continuity within this kooky group of shinobi. At least their antics kept them on him his toes.

“Would dinner be okay, Kakashi-kun?” He heard his partner call over the musings inside his head; the bathroom door was ajar and he could see that she was washing her face.

“Okay.”

* * *

Sakura-chan had led them toward a stall and the two placed their dinner to go and afterward, with Kakashi trailing behind. She rattled about little anecdotes of Squad 7 shenanigans from when they had previously passed through. Her audience diligently filed away all the memories and tidbits into a miscellaneous folder in the back of his brain. Before long, she had led them to a cedar tree not too far from their lodging.

They had their backs to each other; Sakura-chan had, by this time, grown used to his eccentric habit of concealing his face, but neither inquired nor attempted to steal peeks. In fact, no one else seemed to care about it either, now that he thought about it. But he supposed if they were all quirky (to mildly put it) in their own ways, he was entitled to his own, and no one bothered to question it. It was a nice change not having to actively avoid the wandering eyes of curious genin teammates. Although, he was probably lying to himself if he didn’t miss the aggravation and exasperations it earned.

“Kurama-kun and I used to come out here all the time. It’s one of my favorite spots in the world. Do you have a favorite spot like this, Kakashi-kun?” His mask was down and his chopsticks midway towards his mouth. He thought about it but it didn’t take long to come up with an answer.

“No.”

“Ah.”

They resumed their meals, the sounds of quiet slurping the only noise they made for several minutes. When she finished her meal, she gave a satisfied sigh and stretched herself onto the grass. She rubbed her belly with a Cheshire grin to match. When he finished his dinner, he began to tuck their trash inside the plastic carry out bag. His eyes grazed over his partner’s relaxed form in the grass. She looked so peaceful, supine among blades of grass and earth, not a care in the world despite the frontlines being a few days journey from their current location.

Kakashi smiled to himself behind his mask. It was...inspiring. Maybe someday he could be at peace with the world, too. Carefree and unburdened with the blood stains on his hands. Just like she could. _Yeah, some day._

“Sakura-chan?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you teach me Kakurenbo?” One emerald green eye opened to eye him playfully. She gave him a half smile,

“Okay…” She said, but there was on octave in her voice, “…Only if you can catch me!” She said and within the blink of an eye, she was darting up the trunk of the cedar tree next to them. Kakashi didn’t miss a beat, taking the plastic carry out bag with him as he scampered off after her.

They leaped and leaped through the canopies, Sakura’s delightful glees of laughter and teasing quips stirring him on. She was fast, perhaps a little faster than him, zig zagging to and fro playfully among the branches. Chakra fueled their tiny teen calves, leaving them as nothing but a blur in wind. The swishing of the leaves and the zipping of air cutting their ear drums.

The pure innocence of the chase—no obligations, no primal need to survive, just the simplicity of being—stirred up something in his chest. The feeling one gets when they’re free falling from the highest tower. There was no heavy weight bearing down on his heart, the days of yesteryear falling rapidly behind him. The colors were clearer as he pursued flashes of pinks and jades among earthly tones.

His face hurt.

He wasn’t sure if it was from the smile breaking across his cheeks or if it was from the edges from splitting the air while he soared after her. But as she led him through the labyrinth of branches and trunks, the answer grew more evident, and rather than fear, he felt more confident as he closed the distance between them.

Until she stopped.

His covetous lungs caught their breath as he landed with soundless grace next to her on the highest branch at the end of the forest. Their tree stood alone, like a leader to the congregations of the many behind them. A giant cliff and a waterfall beset the foreground. Deluges of waves roared over the edges, crashing down into a cacophony of never ending crescendos below. The wind that sailed the waves blew with it, against it, on it, and beside it. The freshwater fragrance overwhelmed his nostrils through the mask as gust upon gust parted with violent waters and careened like an arrow against their branch.

The sun was positioned just over the horizon, producing a hazy and ethereal glow, forging a stage bathed in dewy gold. It's warmth radiated on their faces as it descended from it's highest peak in the sky. Misty crystals from the waterfall glided upon billowed arches of air, creating a kaleidoscope of halos made of rare colors and opaque rainbows. Not a cloud in sight to blunt its iridescence.

It was colossal and powerful and unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Her eyes were closed as she her chest expanded. The dancing air whipped against her civilian shirt. She exhaled and the wind blew it right back at her, caressing her neck and carrying strands of pink towards the heavens. The raw and explosive intimacy of the skies and the moisture coming together as one began to evolve into in a vivifying embrace as it engulfed their bodies. He closed his eyes and he inhaled a shaky breath.

He felt the sky cradle his own head, its nimble fingers running delicate thumbs across his cheeks. Silky tendrils of wind cupped the back of his neckline before it lifted his hair into the breeze. Lips of wind kissed the shell of his ears and softly whispered a sonnet that only his heart could hear.

He exhaled.

“This is my favorite thing in the whole world, Kakashi-kun.” In that moment he _understood_.

Opening his eyes, he felt a heavy tear fall as the colossal and ethereal World gazed back into him—into his soul, down to his very bones. Everything was so…so _inconsequential_ in the grand scheme of things, he realized, as he stood in such a sacred realm unburdened by the hands of men and their weapons and their hate. A Sovereignty so separate in it's nature, that even his own despondency found no purchase here. No, the cabals of men were not welcome here, not in this moment. It was just them and the World, together, mere specks in time, united in a brief but visceral eon.

Yes, yes he could understand _this_ more than anything when the World whispered to him,

_You are free_.

* * *

**Inuzuka Shun, 18 YRO: **Current Ranger of Squad 7

Birthday: October 10th

Likes: Dogs and puppies, Training, BBQ, and hanging out with Shunhei & Hideyoshi

Dislikes: Authority, Cats

Hobbies: Improving his speed and stamina, challenging Hideyoshi

Squad designation: Specializes in Track & Capture; Ninjutsu and taijutsu offense

**Shunhei, 7 YRO**: Current ninken of Squad 7

Birthday: November 5th

Likes: Sleeping, eating, and playing with Shun

Dislikes: Cats

Squad designation: Specializes in Track & Capture; Ninjutsu and taijutsu offense

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been toying around with the idea of writing paramedic Sakura doing paramedic shit. Although, no plot comes to mind other than writing typical 911 scenario calls. I want to involve Kakashi in some way but I haven't muddled over it enough to figure it out.
> 
> Anyway.
> 
> Be safe, be well throughout your weekend.  
McKellerton


	5. Mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy.

He started to cry.

Sakura said nothing as she remained by his side while he drowned his forearm in tears, trying his best to hide his face from the World. His small, but strong frame wracked by his sobs. His throat clenched and squeezed with unfettered emotion while his lungs tried to wretch from the air. His vocal chords strained under the duress, and produced choked out wails.

_I’m sorry Obito. I’m sorry Rin. I am so, so sorry._ His heartstrings were tuned to the tones of assault, waged by his feelings for being under lock and key for so long. His tears flooded his mask with a vengeance that he could no longer contain.

Finally.

The young boy began to let himself go; he stood in the towering countenance of the World that stared right back at his puny form. He began to allow his soul to grieve for the first time in his life while the World cradled him with strong fingers made of wind and air.

_Please forgive me. Please. Please. For everything I have done._

When Sakura’s hand found his own, her warm palm against his, the tumultuous wave of emotions and sorrow crested; his undoing in such a simple action. Her presence a comfort during his calamity. His desperate soul grasped her fingers within his brutally. She anchored him, became his lifeline as he allowed himself to drown. He cried harder; his chest felt like it caved in while his back hunched forward ever so slightly. 

“I’m sorry!” His broken voice wailed into the chambers of the foreground, his fingernails digging into her skin as he caved and crumbled. Each sob that tore from his chest, each tremble of his spine, and every broken note that sprang from his throat, began to release the encumbrance that hung heavy like a pendulum in his chest. The violent waters beneath seemed to carry his words away with his woes. The crashing of waves swallowing up his guilt in its rocky depths, like priests who absolve sins and lay to rest the ghosts that cling to the living.

The wind seemed to grow softer; its gentle kisses crossed his cheeks, as if it that was all the World needed to hear from him. As if that was all it _wanted_ to hear from him. To come to terms with the reality of his faulty design. To release and to accept. To finally understand that everything was so very inconsequential; that there was no foul perpetuity in life—that the mercy of men bore no power in this universe, nor would it ever. The only thing that could ever matter was that the World would always hold its dominion, and that in her kingdom there would always be peace and solace there. A precious gift, that which was hers to give unconditionally as she saw fit.

His body grew weak, his strength waning as he felt spent after baring his deepest secret to the World—his failures, his burdens, his sorrows, his regret, his guilt—he finally let the arms of the World hold him and his ears heard that whisper one last time,

_You are free_.

* * *

Kakashi woke the next day. The feeling of a cool breeze at his back and warm puffs of air flitting across his face rousing him from his slumber. The next feeling he noticed was how heavy and swollen his eye lids felt along with the dampness of his mask across the bridge of his nose. And then finally, the odd twang in the shoulder he laid on, probably from the boulder beneath.

He experimentally blinked a few times, testing how crusty his eyes must have been. He brought his calloused fingers to massage them gently. Afterward, the environment became a little bit clearer through mismatched eyes. His vision came into focus and the first thing he saw was his partner’s serene face.

She was really close.

Her body was curled up as she lay next to him in the grass beneath a cedar tree. One elbow cushioned her head, the opposite hand curled up under chin. Her breath was warm as she exhaled across the small distance between their faces. Pink lashes twitched with the breeze and whatever she was dreaming about. Her lips were relaxed in the smallest of smiles. Rosy strands of hair framed her face and swayed to the coaxing of the wind.

So feminine and fragile, unguarded on the forest floor, coiled into a ball of serenity like the contexts of their lives had no bearing on her being as she slumbered so freely, so easily next to him. Next to him, renowned friend-killer and lowly survivor of the dysfunctional catastrophe known as Team Minato back home. No, none of those things mattered as she lay in the grass.

Despite it all, despite every bloody footprint behind he left, she had given him the greatest gift of all.

This girl, his partner, his squad mate, this bumble of pink blobs, and puzzles, and danger, and curiosity—had shown him that beyond the circumstances that dictated their lives, there was higher power. A higher power beyond the politics of the men. That there was a world in which he could live and just _be,_ and that the sorrows he kept hidden away didn't have to be so; that they could be liberated.

For the World bowed to no one, and the only thing it would ever offer were the moments that were free from the afflictions of mortal men—a realm of unspoiled peace that could be anyone’s to possess when they had forgone the turmoil of the their own engineering. Because the World will always carry on, with or without you, and this was its only offering, and he realized that it would be foolish to forsake such a gift.

“Thank you.”

* * *

“And just where the hell have you two been??” Inuzuka-senpai ground out between both sets of teeth. A comical vein throbbing on his forehead as he crossed his arms.

_Here we go again_.

“None of your business, Shun-kun.” Sakura’s annoyance kicking in before she wagged an accusatory finger in his face, with the other hand on her perched on her hip. She went into scolding mode now, “And if you don’t knock it off, I’m gonna tell Taichou that you won’t stop bothering us.” The ninken handler’s spine straightened considerably as his scowl progressed.

“Tattle-tail!”

“I’m not above it.” She huffed and whirled way towards the bathroom. When the door closed, Kakashi turned back towards his senpai with a blank stare. His counterpart narrowed his eyes.

“I’m watching you brat. I mean it.” To which, Kakashi narrowed his own single grey. Their staring contest seemed to last longer than it did before Sakura came out of the bathroom, fresh out of the shower. She looked between the two males in the room and rolled her eyes.

“I’m going to go get breakfast.” She muttered, going for her pack and grabbing her brush.

Kakashi took his leave by going into the bathroom to freshen up himself. As he stepped under the warm spray, his ears picked up on the conversation between his other roommates. He heard his partner chastise Inuzuka-senpai for being so crass, to which the latter fired back something about war babies and being too young. A loud thump was heard and he guessed Sakura found something else to throw at him that ended with the exasperated claim that as his partner, it was her responsibility to help him find him a hobby because Senpai wasn’t doing much to help. The counterargument was such that it was impossible to help find him a hobby if they snuck off into forbidden sunsets to make out, and whatever else he conjured up from his own inventions.

Through their yelling he had discovered that the whole point of this trip was to find him a hobby. When their bickering was diminished to a formal challenge to see who could discover his hobby, Kakashi was through with his shower. He paused with his hand on the doorknob.

He felt himself smiling despite the absurdity of their antics. It dawned on him that this unruly gaggle of ninja had come here with the sole purpose of doing something _for him_. His smile grew into a full out grin as he realized that his team cared about him, _for him_. For the first time since becoming a Ranger, he felt like he was a part of the team rather than just the replacement for Kurama-kun.

He schooled his face before he exited the bathroom as best as he could, but the smile remained present behind his mask.

* * *

So far, it was a bust.

“Do you like _anything_, kid?!” Shun-senpai groaned as he trudged to his right. Sakura-chan herself wasn’t feeling too great about it either. They had gone to the carnival that held a decent amount of activities—painting, random game stalls, fortune-telling, a magician—and nothing held the silver haired boys’ attention for long.

He flat out refused finger painting by walking away as Sakura, Shun, and Shunhei attempted to shove a paper plate into his hands. Kakashi’s prodigy skills got them banned from the game stalls for ‘cheating.’ As soon as the fortune teller told Kakashi and Sakura that they would be married with several grandchildren, the foursome couldn’t run away fast enough. Subsequently, Kakashi and Sakura had been forced to endure the birds and the bees talk from their Senpai (again) for twenty grueling and harrowing minutes with one last threat about keeping it in their pants, _or else_. The magician had started out strong, but even Sakura and Shun couldn’t lie that it was just a simple sleight of hand trick and followed Kakashi out of the small theater.

They then tried the movies, but unfortunately, due to the technical difficulties, the shows were cancelled for the evening. They further learned that Kakashi was quite picky when it came to sampling the food vendors—he wouldn’t eat anything fried or indulge in any sweets, much to their chagrin. Shunhei on the other hand, stuck to Kakashi’s side like an excited electron to a proton, as he fed every sample to the Doberman (which earned him a scathing, _‘you traitor’_ from the Inuzuka).

“Training.” Kakashi shrugged, shamelessly admitted so. He heard the collective groans from both sides of him.

“Okay kid. How’s ‘bout me versus you. Loser pays for dinner.” The young boy turned to his senpai and grinned.

“Sounds good to me.” Out of the corner of his eye, he didn’t miss his partner's hand smack her forehead before rubbing it down her chin in the most childish gesture.

“Fine. But I’m going to hit the bookstore before we go.” She started stomping away, leaving three males to trail after her. He briefly heard Shun-senpai mutter something like ‘book nerd’ under his breath. The door chimed with their begrudged entrance. Kakashi watched his teammates split and beeline to different ends of the store. He opted to follow Shun, but realized what a mistake that was when he found himself in the _Adult Section_. He watched as the older shinobi plucked a magazine off the rack and proceeded to gawk and drool at the female composition.

He quickly turned heal at the first sight of the lush image and began to look for his partner. At least the mask concealed the redness on his cheeks at the mere sight of giant breasts on flimsy paper. He turned down another isle and found her staring intently at row of small pocket sized books. _Puzzles. Of course._ He glanced to opposite shelf of Sakura’s attention when something caught his eyes.

The cover was tan with an olive green outline and a seemingly innocuous title scrawled in black: _The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi_. He drew closer to grab the book off of the shelf. He glanced at the spine and was surprised to see that the author was Jiraiya-sama, the legendary Sannin. The name invoked the memory of his Sensei regaling in tales and adventures under his tutelage. He flipped it over to glance at the back; there was no summary or any art. The book itself was rather plain in appearance. Nonetheless, his interest was still piqued purely by the author’s name.

He looked back up at his pink haired partner; she was still mulling over her options. Figuring he had a moment to himself, he opened it to the first page and the imagery immediately hooked him in. By the time he was finished with the first chapter, a finger hooked into the spine of the book and tugged it downwards. He was met with Sakura’s bright and smiling face.

“Good story, eh?”

“It’s okay.” He shrugged nonchalantly, though Sakura didn’t miss his single grey iris glance back down onto the pages before he replaced the book on the shelf.

“I’m going to check out. Shun-kun is outside waiting.” She beamed. Nodding, he proceeded to make his way out the door. He neglected to see that Sakura had pulled the book back from the shelf before checking out.

* * *

An hour later, Sakura and Shunhei were sitting on the sidelines watching their partners sparing in a taijutsu match that didn’t seem like it was going to be ending anytime soon. Shunhei was on the receiving end of lovely head scritches while the pinkette worked away at the new puzzle book she had purchased earlier.

Her partner, she observed, held up his end really well, considering the insufferable Inuzuka hadn’t opted to utilize his ungodly, annoying speed yet. The testosterone in the air was really strong and pungent the longer they kept at it; Shun had already forgone his shirt and Kakashi was down to his sleeveless ANBU uniform with the mask attached. Both were soaked with sweat, caked in dirt, and crusted blood.

But even Sakura couldn’t deny it, they both were having fun. _A little too much fun_ by the crazed look in their eyes, or single eye in Kakashi’s case, as they shamelessly bruised and mocked each other. An indignant sigh left her while she returned back towards the brainteasers in her hand in order to forget the possible injuries that would, no doubt, be sustained by their exuberance.

* * *

“Not bad, kid.” A toothy grin spread across Senpai’s face who threw a right hook at his opponent’s silvery head, to which he effortless dodged by leaning just far enough out of reach. The older shinobi then proceeded with a barrage of assaults; a left hook, right hook, and then another left. All of which were avoided. Kakashi had no choice as the seconds between the assaults were _mere_ _seconds_ at best.

“Thanks.” Kakashi’s own grin could barely be detected from underneath the mask. He took his window of opportunity, and glided under Shun’s arm with the intention of delivering an uppercut. But that hit never connected; the taller shinobi used his height to lean backward into a flip, effectively putting space between the two of them.

They mutually agreed to a small reprieve so they catch their breaths. The two sparring combatants glanced towards their respective partners. By then the sun had begun to set causing the light to dim over the treetops.

“Let’s wrap this up, eh? It’s not very polite to keep a lady waiting, after all.” Senpai gave a devilish grin. Sakura-chan snorted, but didn’t bother to look up from her book, nor stop her attentions of the ninken lazing next to her hip.

“Agreed.” Kakashi smirked in return.

“We'll continue with the taijutsu, but chakra's back on the table. Let’s see what you got, kid!” Within the blink of eye, Kakashi almost missed his opponent appear within his guard. But the young boy wasn’t a prodigy for nothing; he evaded, and funneled a little chakra to his calves. With his right leg, he bent his knee slightly and cocked his left leg, ready to strike at Shun’s chest. With the momentum of his hip, he pushed with this grounded foot to further power his left kick.

Shun-senpai caught his ankle and proceeded to toss the young boy across the field. He soared after him, pouncing on him, elbow poised at his solar plexus. Although smaller, he used his lithe frame to his advantage to prevent the landing. He slid himself between Shun’s legs, the skin of his calves scrapping along the gravel beneath.

“Cute.” He heard Shun-senpai mock while he turned to block Kakashi’s right roundhouse kick with the back of his hand. Shun-senpai grabbed the wrist of the incoming left hook and pulled the boy inwards, colliding his forehead with his nose. His right hand came up reflexively to his face, leaving the ninken handler to send a punch to his gut.

The smaller ninja skidded back, the balls of his feet trying to slow the force with a little chakra reinforcement, and to also keep him upright. Silver brows knitted, either in pain or anger, not that it made any difference.

“Cute.” The young boy mocked back before sending an unnecessary amount of chakra to his legs. He reappeared within Shun’s guard, his right shoulder spearheading into the well-chiseled, tanned abs of his opponent. Kakashi received a pained grunt for his efforts before he felt a bruising grip on his left shoulder that had the silver haired jonin flying over the other’s shoulder, coercing his spine into becoming well acquainted with the dust below.

With the air forced out of his lungs violently, he only had milliseconds before Shun-senpai’s fist came barreling downwards towards his face. He rolled out of the way just in time, inhaling dusty debris. With the impromptu smoke screen, Kakashi swiped legs out from underneath the older Shinobi while grabbing the fist that was meant for his face. After securing the limb, he quickly wrapped his legs around it and forced his left heel onto Senpai’s windpipe.

Up to now, Kakashi was ready to ask the other the yield, but then Shun threw his weight over Kakashi, pinning his legs and arms against his rib cage. Before Kakashi could register anything, Shun had his hand wrapped around his throat. The wolfish grin on his face was almost unsettling while sweat dripped onto the little Hatake’s face.

  
“I hope you like barbeque.”

With a tap to Shun’s forearm, Kakashi was released and he inhaled a big breath. When he sat up, he felt Shun-senpai’s hand upon his head, ruffling his already sweaty, matted hair.

“Good fight, kid. You and I should train more often.” Kakashi grunted in response, trying to catch his breath through his mouth; his nose already clogged with coagulated blood. The boy took the hand that was offered to him, letting himself be pulled to his feet.

Kakashi couldn’t lie, he was feeling pretty good. It was almost as if he was fighting Minato-sensei with how fast Shun-senpai was, even if it was a little less graceful and more so the brutish attributes of Inuzuka clan members. He set a new goal for himself; that if he could beat Shun-senpai in a match, then he would no doubt be ready to take on his former sensei.

Before the foursome headed back into town, they let Sakura heal their injuries. Afterward, they slipped back into their discarded clothes. Inuzuka-senpai led them to restaurant not too far from their inn. Once they stepped foot inside, they heard a call,

“Shun-kun!”

The three ninja and ninken turned to the sound of the voice yelling over the other patrons. They found Yui-senpai accompanied by Aburame-senpai, Yamanaka-senpai, and Taichou in a booth in a far corner of the restaurant. The hostess escorted them towards their already seated party before taking their drink orders. Nara-taichou visibly inhaled and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

“Sakura-chan, did you succeed in your task?” Yamanaka-senpai inquired while he sipped from a sake cup. His pink haired partner only shrugged, but smiled. “Ah. Well, we have a few more days yet.” He gave a grin and returned to pursuing the menu.

“You guys look like hell.” Taichou said at last.

“Thanks, Taichou.” Shun-senpai said as he grabbed a bottle and began to pour himself some sake. The hostess at this point, had returned with tea for both Sakura-chan and himself. For once, he noticed that she kept her puzzles in her pouch and engaged freely within the banter amongst the table. He, himself, participated when he was called upon, but otherwise, was content to watch his teammates.

Apparently Yui-senpai and Aburame-senpai had discovered a bathhouse with private springs. Sakura had missed the double entendre behind her suggestion, but Kakashi and Shun-senpai hadn’t. Even though the ninken handler gave a scathing glare towards the Uzumaki, the young boy managed to decline anyway, stating he would rather train (much to Sakura-chan’s annoyance).

Upon Yamanaka-senpai’s prompt, Sakura-chan recounted their activities for the day. Kakashi observed how she was center of everyone’s attention; she spoke with various emotions in her storytelling. Excitement, disappointment, laughter, twinkling eyes—a wide array of enthusiastic theatre in her words, and it dawned on him that this was the most animated he had ever seen his reserved partner.

She was so innocent in the same manner children light up during a fireworks show. So enraptured with adoration and delight. She spoke with her hands as if her compelling words weren’t enough to keep their attention (even though that was very much on the contrary). As a matter of fact, everyone seemed to contribute to her boundless narration with questions and comments of agreements.

She sounded _so proud and pleased_ as she smiled. Her emerald eyes glittered beneath the dim lighting around her words and grins. No, he didn’t miss any of it; it didn’t go unnoticed how she had everyone wrapped around her finger tonight as she turned what could possibly have been a rather mundane and exasperating recounting into one of adventure and laughter.

Sakura-chan was, how could he put it …_infectious_. So gay and untethered compared to the day he met her. This side of her, he concluded, was more endearing and beguiling. And he couldn’t understand why he liked it so much more. He liked both of her personalities. _But why?_ He asked himself, even though he already knew. It had everything to do with the way she smiled, because the smiles she wore now were so much more different than the days before; unconfined, freer, and brighter. In the back of his mind, there was a minute thought that said those smiles were just like Rin’s, if not more uninhibited and charming, but he paid it no mind as he sipped his tea and decided to just enjoy himself in the present with his team.

His inner musings continued to ramble on well into the evening, even after they finished their meals. It was then that his partner excused herself to use the restroom. He was just about to pour himself some more tea when he heard Aburame-senpai’s comment,

“I’m glad she’s back to her old self.”

_Oh? What’s this? _

“Yeah. She had me worried there for a while.” Shun-senpai said, shoveling the last of his rice into mouth barbarically.

“I think I know why.” Said Yui-senpai, her eyes sparkled mischievously towards the youngest ninja at the table. Kakashi wished he hadn’t looked up from his tea, and upon reflex, glanced towards Shun-senpai (expecting another verbal warning) who could only roll his eyes.

“Whatever the case may be,” Came Taichou’s smooth voice, and Kakashi couldn’t help but feel compelled to look in that direction, “Let’s hope it stays that way for a while.” Dark chestnut colored eyes bore into a single grey eye. A part of Kakashi didn’t want to acknowledge it, but he was certain that the latter of that statement was directed _solely at him._ He wasn’t sure if he should feel intimidated or disturbed.

On one hand, Nara-taichou knew exactly what Kakashi’s initial purpose was when he declared his interests in joining Squad 7 (and therefore, it was like Taichou was daring him to stick his hand in the cookie jar). On the other, it strongly sounded as if Taichou was suggesting a _commitment of some sort._ Even though Kakashi already had his "induction", it sounded like that formidable undertone was pointing towards a more intangible concept than just uniforms and inked branding. He really couldn’t lie to himself under the gaze of his captain, he was definitely was unnerved. He wasn’t so sure if he could bring what little of himself was left to fill that sort of bargain, not after having lost two of his best friends, despite being what _he thought was strong_.

He gulped.

If there was one thing Kakashi was sure of at that exact moment, it was that he was not ready for whatever that undertone incited. He refused to listen to the part of him that was a little thrilled at the thought of remaining by Sakura-chan’s side because she grown on him in the most unexpected pleasant ways. Instead, he listened to the chaotic ramblings of the other greenless, grassless side—the one that called him friend-killer in his quietest moments, the one that called him a failure, a promise-breaker, the scum who abandons teammates, the same one who often told him he was better off dead most days.

Yes, he was afraid.

He looked into his half empty tea cup while his brain began to self-destruct quietly inside.

“Thanks for dinner. See you tomorrow brat.” Mindlessly, Kakashi swatted at the dirt-coated hand of Inuzuka-senpai. He glared into his tea, searching for an answer in the steeped leaves that couldn’t possibly provide one. He failed to hear the various goodbyes of the remaining squad mates as they made their departures. He wrung his hands into his shirt beneath the table, so lost in his thoughts as they continued to travel down darker roads.

“Here is your bill, Shinobi-san. The hostess will tend to you at the register. Thank you and have a good night!”

“Hm?” He looked up into the cheery face of his waitress that had catered to Squad 7 throughout their evening. He looked down to her proffered hand and took the check. “Oh. Thank you—wait.” He had glanced at the small receipt and noticed that the bill was significantly more than he imagined his and Shun-senpai’s meal could have been. “I think there is a mistake, Miss.” She gave him a questioning look,

“Oh? Is something wrong?”

“Yes.” He handed the receipt back to her. “Are you sure this is the price for two meals?” The waitress only blinked at him before giggling sheepishly.

“Oh. They must not have told you then…”

“Told me what?” He frowned.

“They said that you would be more than happy to take care of everyone’s bill tonight.”

_Oh. Well, fuck. _

“Ah, right. My mistake then.” His let out a controlled breath. Then he reached back around his pants and pulled at his money pouch that was secured there. He forced a smile at the waitress, causing his eyes to crinkle. He removed himself from the table, receipt clenched ever so tightly in his hand. “Thank you. Have a good evening, Miss.” He bowed and made his way to the register.

_Yes, it was his mistake_. And he would make sure that, teammates or not, _no asshole_ was ever going to pull a fast one like this on him again. _Oh yes_. He would make sure this would be the last time he ever made this mistake again.

* * *

**Aburame Hideyoshi, 18 YRO**: Current Ranger of Squad 7

Birthday: July 15th

Likes: Beating Shun during challenges, Specimen studies and collection of insects, Sex

Dislikes: Winter season, Inuzuka Shun being annoying

Hobbies: Researching and hunting the White Rhino Beetle, gardening, whittling

Squad Designation: Specializes in Reconnaissance; Ninjutsu offense 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >:) did'ya enjoy that ending? kukukuku. I'm a dork.
> 
> Ya'll I'm not gonna lie. I kinda lost my muse >.> I've been working so much that I haven't had enough time to cater to my plot bunnies and now i'm blegh. I haven't written a single chapter in like...two weeks. It's killing me because I've been fantasizing about the end for both of this story, the sequel, and possibly the sequel's sequel. Oof. 
> 
> I can't thank you all enough for the love. We about to break 1k hits and I'm pretty damn proud. :D Also, my spotify playlist for this whole shebang is helping fan the small flame of my muse to keep me motivated, even if i only chuck out a couple paragraphs in the little precious spare moments I'm privileged to have. So, thank you my lovely audience.
> 
> Until next weekend.  
Be safe, be well.  
McK.


	6. No Matter What

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ITS FRIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY. Ayyyy. We broke 1000 hits. That's something to celebrate! And thank you to everyone who keeps coming back! Love all of you lovely ducks!
> 
> Please enjoy.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

_“Yes! Yes! Don’t stop! Fuck!”_

This evening couldn’t have turned out any better, Kakashi thought to himself as he gazed at the ceiling.

_ThumpThumpThumpThump._

_“Yes! Right there! I’m coming!”_

The young boy rolled to the side and was met with a pair of jade eyes. Her face was flushed and it was terribly obvious in the dim lighting of the moon that poured in through their window. She bit her lip and looked to the side bashfully, surely unable to meet his scrutiny.

_ThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThump—_

_“Hideyoshi!!” _

“OH MY GOD! ARE YOU DONE?!” Shun-senpai had sat up quickly, his face red with anger or humiliation, not that it really matters at this point. He chucked a pillow over the two smaller ninja’s at the opposite wall; it exploded into a snowfall of feathers. He flopped back onto his pillow-less futon and released a groan in frustration, followed by incoherent grumbling.

Then it became quiet.

_Yes_. What a fabulous way to end the evening Kakashi thought. There was _nothing more_ to life than being forced to pay for everyone’s barbecue, and then going to bed with images of his team mates engaging in adult activities before falling asleep. Perfect. Wonderful. _Just. Peachy._

Unlike his roommates, at least he had the fabric of his mask to hide his own colored cheeks.

“Good night Kakashi-kun.” He heard her whisper.

“Good night, Sakura-chan.” He nodded towards his partner and closed his eyes, waiting for the train to take him to slumber land.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. _

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?” Shun-senpai wailed into the night, yanking on his hair. When Kakashi opened his single eye, he found his partner was biting into her knuckles and trembling. As soon as Sakura-chan realized Kakashi was staring at her, she let out a shriek that was immediately followed by chortles, snorts, and laughter.

Kakashi’s own grin couldn’t stop when Sakura-chan rolled onto her back, holding her stomach, trying to contain her laughter.

_“Yes! Oh, gods yes, fuck me, Yoshi!” _

“NO! STOP! STOP! PLEASE! TAICHOU!”

It was inevitable—he followed right after Sakura-chan into helpless fits of laughter. It was _so absurd;_ laying here next to his partner while listening to the throes of adult passion and crying senpai’s. Yes, the inanity of all the decisions that lead him to this very moment induced pure laughter. Laughter that caused his sides to burn and ache. A pleasant feeling he couldn’t remember feeling in his entire life.

* * *

The next day brought them into the second week of July. The sun was at its highest point in the sky, casting a sweltering heat wave over the little Port Town. The breezes were far and few between currently, and the humidity stuck around like an unwanted guest. Hell, even the clouds were taking a siesta at this hour.

Sakura-chan and Kakashi were meditating under a cedar tree not too far from their inn. In fact, it was the very same one he woke up under a few days ago. As promised, Sakura-chan was going to begin teaching him Kakurenbo (despite her best efforts to convince him to go to the bathhouse, like everyone else did, _or do anything else really_, considering it was _supposed_ to be R&R time). If Kakashi wasn't so, well, Kakashi, he'd have thrown in the towel and agreed to go with the rest of the squad to the Onsen. But, be that as it may, he wasn't so sure he could stand to look at his senpai's without his imagination taking the ship's wheel and sailing towards uncharted adult nuances. Melting under the sun would just have to do.

Outwardly, the only sounds he registered were the whispers of leaves and the chittering of wildlife in the distance. Inwardly, he was concentrating on his chakra. He gauged his reserves and began molding it through his pathways with practiced ease; commanding and coaxing it here and there as he played with it. His energy was smooth, light, and obedient. He could feel the familiar warmth and tingle as he channeled it from the tips of his fingers to the tips of his toes.

An hour easily passed by when Sakura-chan began to inquire about his arsenal of genjutsu. To his chagrin, he confessed that he only knew a few intermediate ones. He had only recently acquired the Sharingan and had yet to apply himself to the Genjutsu arts. Even more so, his experience so far with the doujutsu was still amateur at best, given the limited opportunities only a month could provide. But nonetheless, she took his admission in stride, nodding patiently. She told him not to worry, for genjutsu was in a league of its own, and that there were far fewer practitioners out there in any case.

Once he confirmed the basic theory of genjutsu itself, she went on to explain the nature Kurama-kun’s genjutsu. As she reiterated the finer details of his prowess, she tried her best to hide her melancholy. Minor tics in her body language—the tautness of her jaw, the forced upward quirk of her lips, pinking around the whites of her eyes, back impossibly straight—were subtle, but nonetheless present. She hid her discomfort well while she gave him a brief overview of Kurama Clan genjutsu.

The overview segued into an ineludible oration of the late shinobi himself. Kurama Ninbo was a _special_ shinobi, he learned. The one in the million born with the curse of the Kurama clan, whose chakra was the embodiment of malevolent, dark fantasies. His abilities made him a genius of his people, but it also made him feared. Being cursed forced Kurama Ninbo to harness this power before it consumed him. Finally, he watched as Sakura’s lips trembled around the words she spoke, _‘despite his valor, it wasn’t enough to overcome the circumstances’_. Although learning about Kurama-kun’s demise wasn’t supposed to be part of the lesson, he listened understandingly and committed everything to memory.

Through this lesson, Kakashi learned that chakra control was paramount to flawless execution. Unfortunately, Kurama-kun’s kekkei genkai was not an ability that could be replicated. There were no hand signs or blue prints for Sakura-chan to give him. Kakashi’s only contributing quality for this to work would be his doujutsu, and she told him that they would figure out the kinks later. Instead, she opted to show him another type of genjutsu that would be sufficient to perform the job until something much more substantial could be achieved.

Then she went through the strategy behind Kakurenbo. As Yamanaka-senpai had told him before, with her summoning technique, Kurama-kun would combine his illusions with the object. In tandem between the fusing of their chakras together, the Moon that was created would ensnare any victim the moment they gazed up at it. Once trapped, whatever the mission demanded would be carried out (he was attentive to the way Sakura said, ‘_often, it’s where the slaughter happens_,’ with bitterness and a fake smile). The methods that were employed ranged from having victims kill each other, letting victims succumb to the curse of the genjutsu, or the two of them ending shinobi with sharp metal tools—whatever the circumstances allowed.

That being said, Sakura confessed to Kakashi that she had consulted Taichou on how to change the mechanics to better fit with Kakashi when everyone had snuck out of the restaurant last night (thereby leaving him with the bill, much to his annoyance). She conveyed that Taichou said to simply use his Sharingan. He didn’t iterate how, but she figured it out on her own, and told him so; rather than infusing both of their chakra into the moon, they would layer their genjutsu together. Her face lit up as if she was explaining another algorithm she had solved, and he found himself listening with rapt attention—he, too, wrapped around her animated voice just like everyone else had been last night as she laid out the logic.

Thereafter, upon Sakura's prompt, they both discussed and assessed their currently knowledge of the Sharingan. Kakashi, who had far more experience with the doujutsu was able to recall some of the ramblings from his time with Obito, who often took great pride in regaling his teammates with stories of legendary techniques. Among one such retelling, Obito had mentioned the fundamental trademark of the bloodline—_Genjutsu: Sharingan_; a technique which only requires eye contact, very much similar to how Sakura and Kurama-kun exacted their approach with Kakurenbo. She nodded excitedly all throughout and once he finished, her brows furrowed in the same manner when she was really concentrated on her puzzles.

He could practically see the figurative light bulb pop overhead when her face light up with a beaming smile. He paid close attention while she interpreted the spinning gears in her brilliant mind. With the _Sharingan: Genjutsu_ technique projected over the Moon’s surface, it would still allow for it to remain as the centerpiece of Kakurenbo. Even if their targets did managed to break it, the minute their eyes laid upon the spinning tomoe of the moon, they would be trapped all over again. However, Sakura-chan did concede that experienced shinobi often knew the dangers of engaging with Uchiha, and she stressed that there were strong possibilities of things 'getting messy' if their enemy figured that out.

And thus, Sakura-chan began to work with Kakashi on his chakra control. She instructed him to place her in any one of his Sharingan genjutsu illusions with the goal of _keeping_ her under as long as possible, while he fought her creepy black clone, which he later learned had a name, _Inner Sakura_ (that which was tattooed on the clone’s forehead, as it-she had forgone the mask this time).

The first hour was pathetic, much to his frustration. It was difficult to continue funneling chakra into the genjutsu while simultaneously using more chakra to engage in combat. The first attempt only lasted a few minutes. But as he carried on, he was learning to better hone his control and his instincts in battle at the same time. He could feel the connection with the genjutsu wane or flutter when his concentration wavered under Inner Sakura’s ceaseless strikes. He was beginning to piece together ways to counteract it, and his mind began to think several steps ahead.

He was sweating by the time Sakura-chan was satisfied with his efforts. As they took a break in the clearing to eat a few ration bars and rehydrate, she pulled a sphere from her pouch and tossed it to him. The material and design reminded him of toy marbles; inside the palm sized globe were little tunnels of infinite loops. Some tunnels were bigger and some were smaller. And finally, he noticed there were three beads of various sizes encased in their size-appropriate tunnel.

She explained it was a ‘little doodad’ her parents had given her when she was a child to practice controlling her chakra. She explained that once you infuse the little knickknack with chakra, one was to manipulate the beads through the ends of the tunnels, like a game of kicking a ball back and forth.

She watched as his fingers wrapped around it before he infused it with some of his energy. It looked like blue liquid magically appeared from thin air in the middle of the sphere. She watched him concentrate his chakra towards one of the larger beads…and it hardly moved. He focused even harder, brows beginning to knit and fingers clenching unconsciously around the ball.

“What do you feel, Kakashi-kun?”

“Resistance.” She nodded and told him he would figure it out eventually with a knowing smile.

The daylight had dimmed substantially to cast large shadows over the clearing, providing the long awaited shade from the overbearing rays above. With the evolving time of day, the stridulations of locusts and cicadas began their symphonies, warning of the impending nightfall ahead. Before concluding their training, Sakura taught him the Silent Killing Technique. He used his gift from Obito to copy the hand signs. Thereafter, she created some shadow clones and instructed them to stand guard around her. Then she gave Kakashi the go-ahead.

He flew through the hand signs with a familiar ease (thanks to the Sharingan). He felt the cooling sensation of his chakra wash over his body and he could feel himself physically dissolve within the shadows cast by the great cedars around them. He perched himself within a tree and observed the gaggle of pink haired shinobi below as they stood on, alert and scanning the shadows in the tree line.

After working up several strategies and possible outcomes in his head, he jumped from the branch, noting that neither the limbs nor leaves shook from his departure. Nor did the crunch of gravel and grass beneath his sandals resound. He proceeded to dispatch one of the clones with a swift blade through the throat and continued observing on as the other clones were alerted to the telltale pop.

He circled the group of clones surrounding the original Sakura, who had a smile plastered on her face as her eyes, too, looked around the clearing. It was then that Kakashi realized that Sakura’s gaze had been following him. He checked the clones and found that their eyes were in different directions. When she winked, his heart did some kind of weird flutter in his chest, and then he moved.

Three more pops echoed throughout the clearing when it ended with a ring of clashing metal. Sakura had pulled a kunai at the last minute to deflect his. He released the technique and put away his own blade. He gave her a questioning look, asking if he lost his hold over the illusion. She just gave him a laugh and told him to work on his chakra control. When he asked what that meant, she shrugged and told him that sometimes, the shadows would flitter when the sunlight caught it 'just right'. Although, she said, it wouldn’t matter when their surroundings would be cast in the dark.

They made their way back to the Inn, side by side.

* * *

The two young ninja were paying for their meals when Shun-senpai approached them with an annoyed look on his face.

“Yo. We gotta go.”

“What’s wrong?” Sakura-chan asked, her brow slightly furrowing. Kakashi found himself facing his senpai fully, his brows also mimicking concern as well when the older shinobi placed their packs at their feet.

“Change of plans.”

Sakura threw down some ryo while Kakashi took the take out bag. The two of them slung their packs on and began to jog behind Shun-senpai. They reached the entrance into the little hub where the rest of their squad was gathered. Everyone else seemed to share Inuzuka-senpai’s annoyed look, too, when they arrived.

“What’s going on?” His partner asked.

“The usual dumb shit from the Ivory Tower.” Muttered Inuzuka-senpai. Sakura’s shoulders slumped, presumably in dejection at their ruined vacation. Kakashi turned a questioning look towards their Taichou, who elaborated,

“Our orders have changed.” He tossed a scroll to the young Hatake who unfurled it with ease. He felt Sakura-chan’s presence when she began to read over his shoulder.

They were going to the village Hidden in the Waterfall, which wasn’t very far from here, thankfully. But, as he read, it became very clear that it was a _time-sensitive_ mission. They had a squad to extract that was carting vital correspondence between Konoha and her allies. There wasn’t a lot of info about the circumstances, however, it was obvious that their comrades had been captured and were more than likely being tortured. Towards the bottom, it was documented that the squad was last seen around the Hidden Stone village roughly a few hours ago, inferring that the trail was still certainly ripe. Kakashi figured that the information they were carrying was _very, very important_ enough to warrant Squad 7’s distinct services.

He tossed back the scroll, which their Taichou proceeded to burn with a simple jutsu. And then they were off along the border of Fire Country towards Takigakure.

* * *

“So what’s the plan?” She heard her silver haired partner say from the side as the two of them kept pace with each other at the rear of their group. She shrugged her shoulders before responding,

“We’ll see when we get there. These types of things usually never go to plan anyways.”

“What do you mean? Does this happen often?”

“Only when someone fucks up big time.” Shun-kun called over his shoulder. Shunhei yipped in agreement. “The last time we were sent on a retrieval, we came back one team member short.” His words were as acrid as the look upon his tattooed face.

She could feel Kakashi’s eyes on her as they moved through the air. She knew her body language was undeniably tense and Kakashi-kun was no idiot.

She wasn’t an idiot by no means either, but she’d be a big fat one if she tried to lie to herself. The scar from losing her previous partner had healed significantly in the last few days, but it still hurt. Kakashi-kun, although took some coaxing to come around, was a calming presence in the same ways that Kurama-kun had been. She was so grateful for her silver haired partner. And she was worried that things would go south just like the last time.

They were given dubious information at best when they were mandated to a remote location in the Rain village. When they arrived on scene, it was clear that it was a huge cluster fuck of chaos. They were told that a man named Hanzo, a secret ally they were sent to retrieve, would be at a secured warehouse. What they encountered instead was _very pissed off_ red headed boy. A red headed boy who single-handedly massacred dozens of shinobi prior to their arrival. Taichou struggled to make heads or tails of the situation and did his best to keep the casualties to a minimum.

When it became clear that Hanzo had fled, it was already too late; Squad 7 was now under the mercy of a vicious, blood thirsty boy with a strong doujutsu and a strong hatred for Konoha. The boy was ruthless and gave no opportunities for any shinobi to retreat. It was getting down to the wire when Kurama made the ultimate sacrifice—to allow his curse to fully consume him. Despite Taichou’s barking orders to _stand down_ and her own pleas to find another way, Kurama had already painted the field in his genjutsu and called forth his Ido to walk among the blood stained grass.

Kurama’s trump card bought the Konoha shinobi and Squad 7 enough time to retreat. Sakura begged, pleaded, _cried, kicked, and screamed_, as she struggled to free herself from Taichou’s unyielding arms. They watched from a distance as plume after plume of smoke and fire billowed over a field that would ultimately end up as Kurama’s dissolution. Only hours later would Taichou allow the squad to finally finish the mission.

They were sent out to retrieve. And retrieve, they did. Yui-chan sealed his body in special wrappings while Shun-kun and Hideyoshi-kun prepared the stretcher. Taichou continued to relay directions to both Squad 7 and their other comrades, as he kept his hold on her trembling body. She had left him with bruises on his shoulders and a uniform drenched in tears and snot. The only thing that placated her that day was the small orange book from Kurama-kun’s pouch that Noburu-senpai had salvaged among the rubble. She clutched that tiny orange book with all her might, as she felt herself beginning to retreat inwards within the darkest crevice of her mind.

Kurama-kun had no family other than the one he made within Squad 7. He had no home to return to but the cot that laid next to hers in their assigned barracks. When they had returned to the camp, Taichou exacted his final wishes—to be cremated. He wanted his soul to be purified in flames, incinerating all of his sins, and leaving no trace of existence in this life. His ashes were then given to Sakura to release, some place peaceful so that he may rest undisturbed.

She looked sideways at Kakashi and remembered the day she took him to her favorite place. The same place Kurama-kun had taken her. That day, her silver haired partner had released himself of his torment and burdens, exhausting his soul to the point of unconsciousness. After she laid Kakashi-kun’s boneless body to the limb, she too, released her sorrows to the wind. Gently, she took Kurama-kun’s remains and unleashed him upon the strong breeze to sail towards the night sky.

Sakura’s gaze slid forward, and she called upon her strength and resolve.

She would not lose another partner. Even though she would never tell him, Kakashi helped her immensely by being himself. Although he too, was suffering, she found her peace and courage through him. Despite their likeness, no, Kakashi-kun was not Kurama-kun, but that was okay, and it was more than enough for her. He eased the ache in her heart just by being there, which was just enough for her to find the courage and strength to be her own self again. What’s more, is that she found he _naturally_ brought it out of her, made her_ want_ to be that person he could rely on, _stand side by side_ with.

Plunging further into the rabbit hole, without Kakashi, she, in all likelihood, would not be here. Given the nature and protocols of Rangerhood, it was not an uncommon occurrence to be rendered without a partner at some point in one's career. Recruitment into the ranks was often sparse, so it goes without saying that either she was assigned a partner from God knows where, or SHE would be assigned to another crew. That was the nature of the beast. And, like Kurama-kun, she had found a home here—a home away from home, a family she could, without any doubt, rely on. It would have been the end of her, to not only have lost her partner, but to lose an entire family she had come to love and cherish.

A gift he had unknowingly given her.

Although it was awkward and new when they first met, they easily slid into companionship (despite the fact he was rather silent from the start). He didn’t pester or mock her about her puzzles like Shun-senpai often did. He was strong and skilled, certainly living up to his prodigious rumors. When she heard what they said behind his back at the camp, she hardly paid any heed to it. She had killed feral civilian children of Konoha, after all; labels meant nothing between the decision to kill or be killed in her humble opinion.

He held nothing back; he was blunt in his observations and strong in his conviction. She admired him for standing up to Taichou that morning, and admired him more when he called her out for “slacking” during their first mission together in the tree. She saw the way he commended her skill, despite how uncomfortable her astral projection of her psyche made him feel. She also remembered the night she had overstepped the boundaries when she curled up next to him in the tent, but he took that all in stride anyways.

He was confident in her and she returned the favor that night they laid a whole (fake) village to rest. Unlike the rest of her squad mates who often fussed over her during ‘business hours.’ Even Kurama-kun made sure she stayed protected and remained locked into her support role. Not that she didn’t appreciate it, but sometimes, it was overbearing. Rather than shielding her, he fought by her side as an equal despite her assigned designation. It was a welcome change she definitely needed and appreciated. Although, with his inexperience in this sort of work, she still provided her support when it was needed (she may or may not have saw blinding red rage when that guy sucker punched Kakashi-kun). True to Taichou’s prediction, their repertoire of jutsus complimented each other rather well. In time, she figured that he would learn the team dynamic and rise to his own. He already did very well under her instruction earlier this afternoon. 

He reminded her of the joys of curiosity and learning when he asked questions and paid attention to detail with care (the mysterious mask he worse was just an added bonus, and perhaps, she was _dangerously curious_ to find out what lies beneath, but that is neither here nor there). She was reacquainted with adventure and discovery as they attempted to explore what his potential hobbies were (she had yet to give him the book she had secretly bought). She remembered the wonderful feelings of sharing secrets and visiting favorite places. When he vomited his guts out or when he cried his tears in front of her, he reminded her of how fragile and human they were. And the way he grasped her hand like a lifeline made her realize that perhaps, in some way, he too, needed her just as she needed him.

That was priceless gift she couldn’t possibly begin to repay.

And as the days went by, she realized that Kakashi-kun had become someone precious to her. He was her partner. He was part of the family now. Though he had still had a long way to go in his trial of Rangerhood, she would remain by his side, and diligently protect and support him as best as she could. With all the gifts he had given her in their little time so far, this was as much as she could promise him—to be his constant; to protect, to teach, to learn, to cherish. 

No, she would not lose another partner. No matter what.

* * *

**Uzumaki Yui, 18 YRO:** Current Ranger of Squad 7

Birthday: December 30th

Likes: Fashion, Soap Operas,

Dislikes: Greasy foods, people who talk during a movie (theater), cheap-quality goods like clothes or toiletries. 

Hobbies: Fashion design, retail therapy, Karaoke (<- not very good at it)

Squad Designation: Seal Specialist, Medic Nin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) kudos to the peeps who recognized Nagato going ham on Hanzo right after Yahiko commits suicide.
> 
> 2) On Narutopedia, "Genjutsu: Sharingan" is pretty vague and I'm pretty sure it implied that it was a technique in and of itself. So. There's that.
> 
> Happy Turkey Day.  
My thoughts and prayers are with those who work in retail.  
Be safe, be well.  
McK🌒


	7. Oh, Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probs my second favorite chapter I have written for this story so far and I hope you enjoy the battle. May the best Shinobi win.
> 
> [Oh Devil - Electric Guest](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWc9hvNV3ko) (Funky beats for funky kung fu)
> 
> Please enjoy ❤

Squad 7 arrived on the outskirts of a lake town atop a massive waterfall early in the evening with the sun still shining overhead. The blistering heat and humidity created a wavering illusion over the glittering body of water. The town appeared as poor as its constructions; rundown shacks of wood and crimped tin roofs stood upon moldy and withered timber poles. There were hardly any boats gracing the surface of the lake, a good indicator that this was probably an abandoned town.

“Inuzuka.”

“On it, Capt.” Shun-senpai was off, speeding across the lake in a blur, his dexterity in speed hardly disturbed the surface of the water as he crossed the distance.

“Uzumaki, Aburame take the eastern side. Wait on my signal.”

“Yes, sir.” They said in unison and were gone in a flurry of leaves.

“Haruno, Hatake. Western side.”

“Yes, sir.” The youngest pair circled around to their assigned location; Kakashi glanced over his shoulder and saw that the Captain and his assistant remained where they were. He grabbed his clay mask from his pouch and slid it on while he raced to his position, Sakura-chan at his side.

The two of them found cover behind a massive boulder and cloaked their presence as they surveyed their surroundings. Only mere minutes had passed despite the thundering drums in their chests that alluding to eons as they waited for Captain’s instruction. Next to him, he observed that the puzzle book did not make any appearance tonight. Instead, his partner had gone rigid, eyes darting to and fro, her fingers twitching over her kunai pouch, as if waiting for shit to hit the fan. It was textbook definition paranoia; someone whose fear encased their reality so tightly that it was contagious.

_Last time_ _we were sent on a retrieval, we came back a member short. _

A sort of anxiety and fear began to settle in his gut, meanwhile the moments of stillness over the lake continued to pervade through the seconds. Dusk had finally conquered over the lands. The moon and sun appearing upon a cloudless stage triggering the soft background symphony of croaking wildlife. It was the calm before the storm. Then, suddenly, Shun-senpai’s voice reverberated in his head,

_‘Eastern side, Capt.’_

_‘Now.’_

As soon as the command came from Taichou, Kakashi and Sakura-chan were sprinting across the lake. They were covering the distance with the snapping jaws of trepidation and panic at their heels. They covered a substantial distance before a loud explosion had erupted somewhere inside the village, bringing with it the force akin to that of several thousand war horses. The youngest pair found themselves flung back by the velocity; their backs stung harshly upon impact from the watery surface before realizing they were underwater.

When they resurfaced with lungs full of salty water, an ominous grey and black mushroom cloud had prevailed over the sky. Flames began to flicker in the distance, shimmering in the liquid surface, like a thousand candles in the night. Wafts of smoke flooded outward at a sinister pace, caressing the waves created by the explosion. A grim herald rang about his eardrums and the boy felt his stomach drop.

Fueling more than enough chakra to their calves, the found themselves scaling one of the town’s end docks in record time, heading towards the site of the rising smoky clouds. Lake water stung his eyes, his nasal cavity and throat burned from inhaling the salty mixture. His lungs were scorching as he and his partner sped through the maze of creaking huts and rusty roofs. Their hypersensitivity alerting them to every groan and screech of rotted wood; their ocular nerves and muscles whined under the duress of being yanked in every other way.

The pair arrived in what he assumed was the town’s square. Fire littered the surrounding area as everything was painted in hues of charcoal grey. The minute they arrived, so did the other two pairs from their assigned directions.

Shun-senpai and Shunhei were standing directly in the middle with a group of battered shinobi that had probably seen better days. Their flak jackets were coated in soot and singed fibers. Otherwise, they were in one piece. Shun-senpai, on the other hand, was wafting away the smoke from his chest armor, coughing slightly, mumbling about booby traps _being a pain in the ass_. Shunhei looked as if he was snickering at his master.

The leader of the kidnapped group relaxed upon their arrival when he realized they were not the enemy. His shoulders slumped in relief as he clutched one of his comrades, the body sagging just slightly lower in arms. As their leader’s eyes swept over Squad 7, his eyes zeroed in on Taichou the moment he saw the black Captain’s band. He smiled,

“I’ve never seen a Ranger before. I always thought you guys were just a myth, kind of like the boogeyman everyone says just to scare the new guys, haha.” Nara-taichou just responded with a nod. “Anyways, thanks for coming, Ranger-san.”

“Is the package still secure?” Asked Yamanaka-senpai.

“Uh yeah. Kaede-chan should have it.” He looked back at the female of their group who began patting down her flak jacket before she pulled a scroll out of one of the many pockets. She unrolled it on the ground, made a few hand signs, after which a black colored scroll appeared on the paper. At this point, Aburame-senpai looked towards the horizon and then back at Taichou before he gave a shake of his head.

“We gave them a dummy scroll when they searched us. We should hurry before they come back.” She said before tossing the scroll in Taichou's direction, who made no move to intercept it. Instead, Yamanaka-senpai caught the scroll, thereafter, placing it in Yui's hands. The seal master then tucked the scroll in a safe place on her person.

“It too late for that. We’re surrounded.” Aburame-senpai said flatly.

“Oh.” Was their collective reply, their faces forlorn.

“RAF! RAF!” Out of nowhere, a small and squeaky voice alerted the group of Konoha shinobi. Everyone turned to the small, scraggy thing sitting in one of the entrances that lead to the town square. It was a puppy; a pug with brown fur and an even darker brown snout, with big bulgy eyes. The little puppy then trotted towards the group, right towards Kakashi. As the little pug drew closer, everyone saw it.

A roll of several dynamite sticks were strapped to the little pups back, its weight making it wobble awkwardly to and fro. Yet, the pug wasn’t the slightest deterred; it’s happy tongue flapping about as it yipped at Kakashi’s feet. Its tiny paws batting at his sandals, in search of attention. The coils of the sticks were all wrapped together and had been lit, with about a minute remaining before it detonated.

“Well, that’s not good.” Said Shun-senpai, crossing his arms, annoyance more than evident in his tone.

Carefully, Kakashi reached down to pick up the puppy. He had to make up for the unbalance; it’s over exuberant happiness prominent in the way that it wiggled and waggled, and shook its tiny curly tail. The pug began to lick his mask, partly obscuring his peripherals. The sound of an ominous sizzling a reminder of what he unconsciously began to do. Holding the pup in one hand, he dipped his other in a kunai pouch. As quick as the lightening of his Chidori, he sliced the band that secured the bomb to the poor pup.

He let the kunai drop to the floor without a second thought in favor of catching the makeshift bomb when it slid of off it's fur. The millisecond he placed the bomb on the ground, with only seconds remaining, everyone had moved.

He pumped as much chakra into his tiny legs while he raced alongside the cluster of Shinobi in front of him. Swiftly, he tucked the pug behind his armored chest plate, cradling the it into his chest, who was all the more happy to get closer. The fact that they were bounding over broken metal roofs did not discourage the animal who began to lick incessantly at his cloth covered chin beneath the clay mask. The snug fit of the armor kept the tiny pug in place no matter how much it struggled to reach more of his face.

By the time they all reached the edge of the town, another large explosion echoed over the lake, causing the water below to form violent waves. The creaking sounds of combusted and falling debris preceded the cue of objects crashing and splashing into the lake. In order to remain upright, he launched himself into the air before the force could topple him over like the previous blast. He landed atop the water with ease and looked to see that the rest of the his squad mates and the other jonin had done the same.

Once he was sure everyone was accounted for, his eyes scanned the shoreline and found that they all were faced with hordes and hordes of shinobi, bearing both Iwa and Taki headbands. There was another shinobi, certainly a foe based on his headband, standing just several feet from the group, above the lake. He came forward, walking slowly towards them with a sort of confident nonchalance, like a predator feigning disinterest.

“I believe you have something of ours.” He lulled. His face was riddled with violent scars but remained calm, only broken by the placid smile he gave them. He held out his hand, “There are at least five hundred of us and only twelve of you. Let’s just make this easy, whaddya say? Hm?”

Taichou approached him, striding forth with a notable elegance that was befitting of an experienced captain; silent and composed.

“No, I don’t think I will.”

If Kakashi didn’t have the Sharingan, he’d have missed Nara-taichou unsheathing the tanto on his back.

In that moment, the enemy’s head slid from his shoulders, surprise didn’t even register on his countenance. The severed head landed with a plop in the salty lake water below, his body following suit as the chakra no longer had a will to control it. The only sound that followed in the next second was the slow dripping of blood from the tip of his sword into the water. He heard the gasps and murmurs of surprise from the jonin around him; _so fast_, _I didn’t even see him move_, _wow._

Kakashi found himself agreeing. He had never seen his Taichou in battle before, not even during the training sessions. In this moment of realization, Kakashi had begun to feel a deep sense of pride and admiration bud within his mind. He also felt incredibly dwarfed when he felt his Captain’s chakra flare to life in preparation for battle. There was so much more to his Captain, so much more experience and confidence bleeding into the air from just his chakra alone. It was suffocating.

The opposing horde of shinobi took that as their cue and began to run towards them; howls for war and death screeched across the distance. They drew their weapons, their faces snarling and grinning madly, confident in their numbers.

Nara-Taicho raised his tanto, the tip skyward, the crimson droplets sliding with gravity. Then he swung diagonally; his tanto like a knife cutting through butter. A gust of black air flew forth in a recognizable crescent shape. It sailed towards the incoming masses, and once it collided with warm bodies, it severed chests from pelvises; nothing stopped it’s momentum as it continued to cut down the enemy in its path. Innards and bones became acquainted with the lake, feeding the life below.

The second his attack left that tanto, Squad 7 followed suit.

* * *

Shun and Shunhei were the first to land their blows; barreling through a wall of bodies with their trademark Gatsūga. When they stopped, they stood back to back, blood dripping from their claws. Shunhei released his clone technique, reverting back to his canine form.

“I hope you’re hungry, big boy.” Shun said while pushing up his mask to settle over the crown of his head, his pearly canine teeth bared in a wicked smile. Shunhei barked his agreement, pawing off his own mask to the back of his neck.

“You’re a freak!!” Someone shouted from the crowd.

Shun tilted his head forward, hands poised in the Inu seal, maniacal grin ever widening. “_Release_.”

His chakra came to life, engulfing him and the Doberman in a faint reddish hue. When their enemies noticed that their nails and teeth had grown to an alarming point, they began to cower and hadn’t bothered to hide the panic in the retreating steps.

“_Secret Art: 1000 Biting Fangs_” And then they vanished.

Two Iwa nin standing in the front of the crowd were suddenly brought to their knees, followed shortly by sprays of blood erupting from three sheared slashes across their throats. Their hands flew to their necks, trying to stem the spurting, bright red blood.

“One, two.” Said a voice from somewhere to their left. The huddled group looked for the voice and found Shun and Shunhei…with their jaws clamped over a fresh pair of necks. Their victims twitched under powerful canines. They jerked, ripping the flesh from shoulders. Their screams came out muffled, drowning in their fatal wounds, “Three, four.” Shunhei licked his maw and then the two disappeared.

“RUN—!” Someone shouted, only to have their head severed from their torso.

“Five.”

“Oh fuck!” Another shouted.

“Six.” More arteries severed.

“Seven.” The screams grew louder.

“Eight.” Escape and hope became futile.

And the deep voice continued to count until there were none left.  
  
  


* * *

Hideyoshi cocked his head to the side. Tendrils upon tendrils of what appeared to be violent, flittering clouds kept pouring from the openings in his trench coat—the collar, the tail end of the coat, the sleeves, like there was a never ending surplus of it. He lifted up an arm towards his foes,

“_Secret Technique: Insect Tornado_.”

“What the fuck is that?! ARGH!”

“FALL BACK! FALL BACK!”

They flew around them rapidly closing in, creating a whirlwind of black blurs. The strong wings of the insects, so powerful and steady, creating a gentle hum and whisper, corralling the opposition like they were sheep. Their faces mirrored the panic in their retreating steps. They kept circling and circling, weaving tightly around, conformed to the contours of their bodies. The few dozen or so Iwa nin who failed to retreat in time, were finally encased in a cocoon of kikaichu.

When there was nothing left to feast on, they moved on towards the next warm body, catching them as they fled back to the shoreline in terror and fear.

The Aburame followed languidly behind, like a shepherd herding his flock, watching as glowing ivory and gleaning metal sunk below the surface.

* * *

“Well, well, looky here. With tits like those, I gotta see your pretty face. Take off the mask, sweetcheeks.” A big, burly shinobi said, twirling a kunai around his fingers. The leer on his face as perverse as the way his eyes roamed over Yui’s chest. A collective laugh and many wolf whistles echoed around her.

Ever the flirt that she was, she only giggled, lifting a finger in his direction and curled, beckoning. Her other hand coming around her back to the medium sized scroll she had secured to backside.

“Come and get it, handsome.”

“With pleasure.”

Unlike their dead counterparts, they kept their distance, but launched an array of weapons towards the center of their attentions. Kunai, shuriken, and senbon whizzed through the air, whistling as they zeroed in on the intended target.

Nevertheless, the Uzumaki was quicker; the scroll at her back was unfurled in seconds, wrapping around her body like a ribbon, revealing her clan crests written upon it in several successions. She funneled chakra into the paper and the crests began to glow. Naked to the eye was the vacuum from the seals, calling the metal towards the inked swirls.

The flurry of weapons sunk into the paper, like quicksand, and continued to do so until all their weapon pouches were emptied.

“That all you got? Tsk.” With a quick flip of her wrist, the paper rotated in the air with a snap, revealing the backside, also painted with several Uzumaki crests. “Let me show you how it’s really done. _Unsealing Technique: Rapid Fire._” She cackled.

The crests glowed blue and then masses of metal were released, firing from the paper, like canons from the broadside of a warship. Their kunai, shuriken and senbon whizzed right back at them at an even greater speed, embedding themselves in their flesh. The force behind the barrage of weapons too fast for some of them. Senbon and shuriken lodged in skulls, throats, and abdomens. Kunai sliced jugulars, windpipes, and arteries with fatal accuracy.

She left one alive though, the big burly man who complimented her ample chest. She pulled her own tanto from her back,

“Let’s have some fun.” She said menacingly.

He screamed.

* * *

Noburu surveyed the several nin surrounding him as he snapped the neck of one of their female comrades. As her body went limp, he held her close to keep her from sinking below. He placed two fingers behind an ear, close to the neckline, and funneled chakra into her nervous system. He mumbled something under his breath that they could not hear. Then her body went from slack to standing up straight next to him, head lolling back and forth from shattered cervical bones.

“What have you done to Kohana-san?!” He heard someone yell.

“It’s easier to control them when they’re dead. Less resistance if you know what I mean.” He told them while he willed the dead kunoichi under his control to walk forward and draw her double katana from her shoulders.

“You bastard!”

“_Mind Disturbance Dance Performance Technique._” Once deft fingers landed in the final sign, his energy breaching forth in an invisible blanket. The group surrounding him became paralyzed where they stood, their bodies no longer under their control. Noburu could feel their struggle against his chakra. “Killing is a messy business.” He said gravely. “Kohana-san, if you would, please.”

They were helpless, like flies caught in sticky web. Horror and anguish settled over their faces as they watched one of their own begin to cut them down, one by one. When the life left their eyes, his chakra no longer felt their struggle. The blanket of his technique swiftly moved in to replace their pathways with his own energy; their bodies were now fully at his mercy to command.

Now, he and his small legion of bleeding corpses descended upon the rest of their comrades.

* * *

“Bahaha! They’re just kids! Like taking candy from a baby!”

“Cute puppy brat.”

Kakashi and Sakura-chan stood back to back, taking in the variety of ninja before them. He took the time to reassess how much his reserves had replenished from his training earlier that day. He was about half full; he reached back into his pouch for some soldier pills to get him through the evening.

Meanwhile, the little pug, securely nestled behind his chest plate, stopped his happy ministrations and growled. After slipping the pill past his lips, the same hand reached down to placate his precious cargo.

“Didn’t think that little rat survived my gift for ya’ll.” At this Kakashi’s anger sparked anew.

“Let me return the favor.” With that, the silver haired jonin fixed his red eye upon his first victim of the night; hands flickering through seals at the speed of sound. Once the blue light appeared to his right, he sprung forward.

His target dodged to the left. He reached behind, pulling his katana from its scabbard upon his back. He meant to bring it downwards into in the boy’s skull but was caught with wire. He looked over to see his pink-haired partner wielding ninja wire, grasped firmly in her gloved hands. The man snarled and yanked the wire back; she let go, allowing his arm to fling backwards wildly, throwing off his balance.

He didn’t get much reprieve once the little boy was currently within his guard again.

“Fuckin’ pests, the lot of you.” He was forced to dodge. And dodge. And dodge. The man’s comrades tried to intervene and help him, but anytime they got close enough to intercept him with his lightening engulfed limb, they were swiftly cut down by his female counterpart. “ENOUGH!” The Iwa nin roared.

His target somersaulted backwards, creating distance between them. It was clear that close quarters combat wasn’t working in his favor, and thus, vied for mid to long range attacks. Kakashi watched as his opponent went through some hand seals, snarling ‘_Water Release: Gunshot_.’

The man puffed out his chest and began spitting decent sized projectiles of water at the two. Kakashi and his partner were required to dance left and right around the shots while trying to avoid the attacks of his comrades. The man grinned madly; he brought his hands into another seal.

“Release.” The Iwa man watched his projectiles explode into tiny splinters of crystallized water. The tinier projectiles found lodging upon their bodies, slowing down their defense.

Nonetheless, like the pests they are, they still carried on. Trading blows and defending. The opposing forces surrounded them, forcing them into a corner where they had their backs to each other once more.

“You okay?” She asked over her shoulder.

“Let’s get this over with.” He grunted. He heard her murmur her astral release, and Inner Sakura split from her person. The two of them worked through the same set of seals he’d seen before.

“_Tidal Manipulation_.”

Kakashi felt the water below vibrate with, his sharingan recognizing the shadow of her chakra blending with the lake. The enemies surrounding them were rapidly engulfed in the massively forming wave, bodies throttling about. He created another Chidori while Sakura-chan continued to create her massive wave.

_‘We’re going to light the lake up. Watch out.’_ He heard her voice in his head, followed by confirmations from his teammates. Once she was satisfied with the size of her wave, she nodded for Kakashi to proceed.

He plunged his arm into the watery wall. His anger and energy violently exploded over it’s surface, excited by the stimulating conductivity of the water. He looked up to see his work create giant flickers of light across their chosen battlefield. Inside the amassed creation, he saw the army convulse and drown, a mimicry of his first mission with Squad 7.

Then, Sakura-chan and her Inner manipulated the giant mass away—a massive, rolling wave glittering with blue sparks, crashed overhead the enemy. A quick look around confirmed that his teammates had dutifully dodged the incoming wave as it swallowed up enemies down to the depths. He turned around to face the last ninja he had set his eyes on from the get-go.

Now nothing could interfere between him and his prey.

* * *

Ryuji, the leader of the jonin team, watched on as the Rangers swiftly cut down the numbers that surrounded them with such an ease, it became just as frightening as it was awe inspiring.

_All of this…all of this death over a stupid Mochi recipe_, he thought.

He was glad he hadn't told anyone of the contents of the scroll or why they didn't have the original scroll to begin with. Ryuji and his goddamn sweet tooth had condemned his team and the dead the moment he accepted to trade the Diversion Team for the Daimyo's family recipe. He was eager to copy the contents for himself, but now, he only felt shame and regret. And because he felt so ashamed, he'd take that secret to his own grave.

He looked towards their Captain, who remained guarding him and his crew. His back didn’t hold a single knot of tension or fear like his own. This is what it meant to be Ranger—to be skilled and fearless. The rumors were true; they really were the shinobi's Boogeyman. Such raw power and talent. It was a sight to behold—to watch as a mere team of seven (plus a ninken) faced death with their own hands. To himself, it was suicide for certain, to fight an army of hundreds; it was why he so easily surrendered to them in the first place, with the small hope that someone would answer his prayers.

Then he wondered, as he continued to watch. The wails of their enemies echoed in the distance, the clanking of metal upon metal, the tearing of flesh from flesh. The smell of iron filled the air as it colored the lake below his feet.

He wondered which of the Gods had really answered his prayers tonight while the horror fest before him unfolded in minutes, just mere minutes. He watched as countless faces floated upon the lake and he watched them sink in the same breath. Faces that probably had homes waiting for them, faces that had loved ones eagerly awaiting a return that will never come now.

He was no stranger to War. Yet…

He looked towards the starry sky above. He felt queasy. Despite the death he committed and the roles he played in the war, this was too much for him. It was hard to watch as a beastly figures tear their jaws into flesh. It was hard to watch insects reduce men to bones. Hard to watch shinobi converted into the walking dead. Hard to listen to the delightful glees as kunai filleted skin. Hard to watch a _massive fucking wave_, _coated in lightening_, sweep half of the battle into the undertow.

He would remember this for years and years to come. Likely in the form of nightmares. He realized with a sudden sadness that he truly did not envy the life of a Ranger; with great power comes great responsibility. A responsibility he had no desire to wield.

“Ranger-san?” The man in question looked over his shoulder. “Is this what war is like? Er, I mean, is this what war is to you guys?” To look death in its eyes and snarl back, despite the odds against you. To slaughter the masses like livestock at the butcher shop.

“There is no such thing as War, my friend. Only an exploration of how far men can be degraded.”

That much was certainly true. The solemn eyes he glimpsed through the masks' holes told him the answer to the question he probably shouldn't have asked. 

If there was a God, why would God allow this to happen?

The answer was simple. _There was no God here_. There was no God the moment he surrendered his team to become captives. _God_ did not send the Rangers to his aid. God did not send the Shinobi’s Boogeyman to finish their fight. No, tonight, there was no God at all among this lake of blood, bone, and flesh. Just death and the Devil's wrath.

_Oh, Devil. What have I done?_

* * *

**Yamanaka Noburu, 26 YRO:** Current Ranger and Lieutenant of Squad 7

Birthday: April 6th

Likes: Spending time with his wife and daughter

Dislikes: Playing games (<- sore loser), smelling like blood

Hobbies: Baking and pottery

Squad Designation: Communication specialist, secondary offensive support (usually for Nara Sato).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so plz forgive me. I totally didn't know that Kakashi actually had his ninken when Rin was abducted. so plz forgive me for screwing that detail up. But it's a fic so...at least I have that liberty.
> 
> My bad, folks.
> 
> Be safe, be well.  
McK🌒
> 
> ..................................................  
Jutsus Mentioned in this chapter:
> 
> 1) Shadow Blade: Bukijutsu + Hiden Ninjutsu  
By combining his shadow ninjutsu within his blade, he can swing and slice, the shadow effectively enhancing the distance his attacks can reach.
> 
> 2) Secret Art: 1000 Biting Fangs: Hiden Ninjutsu + Taijutsu  
IDK how the naming goes in the Narutoverse, so you get English bits instead (if someone can help me with that, that'd be cool). Between Shun and Shunhei and their combined speed, they dish out 1000 bites. Purdy neat.
> 
> 3) Secret Technique: Insect Tornado: Hiden Ninjutsu  
See Narutopedia.
> 
> 4) Unsealing Technique: Rapid Fire: Fūinjutsu  
Based on Tenten's Unsealing Jutsu: Shuriken, the scroll just absorbs incoming objects and propels them back. The rapid fire part increases projectile speed.
> 
> 5) Body Disturbance Technique: Hiden Ninjutsu  
A play on Mind Body Disturbance (see narutopedia), i just dropped the mind portion, which allows him to control the body, like necromancy. This jutsu is quite morbid and not often used by Yamanaka users. But Noburu don't give a fuck.
> 
> 6) Mind Disturbance Dance Performance Technique: Hiden Ninjutsu  
See narutopedia.
> 
> "Only an exploration of how far men can be degraded" is a quote taken from a two-part series/Book called Birdsong, written by Sebastian Faulks. Fantabulous story (Eddie Redmayne is such a hunk).


	8. A Good Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, this chapter was hard to write, and it took several rewrites before I was satisfied with the end result. I hope you all really do enjoy this chapter, because the follow up chapter to this one is my absolute favorite. If I cause anyone heartache, I apologize in advance.
> 
> Please enjoy.

“So, what’s his name?”

Big, bulgy eyes stared up into the faces of seven shinobi and one other ninken. The little puppy cocked his head to the side. He looked to the boy with silver hair and his tail immediately went into to overdrive.

“RAF! RAF!” He panted in all of his excitement, hoping the boy would turn and look his way. But instead, he was looking at the shinobi with red tattoos on his cheeks. Then the little puppy noticed the Doberman approach, his lanky form relaxed.

_Perhaps a new friend?!_

They stared into each other’s eyes for a minute of silent conversation before the Doberman laid on the dirt before him, his muzzle coming to sniff him out. He grunted, the dust around his maw disturbed by the brush of warm air.

_YES, IT’S A NEW FRIEND._

“RAF! RAF!” He approached the older ninken and sniffed. Then he began to lick at his face. All good friends groom each other, right?! The Doberman didn’t seem to mind and began to lick him back. Confident in his newfound friend, the little pug began to reach for more, still licking and sniffing. Before he knew it, the little ball of fur had found its perch atop his new friend’s head.

The tall shinobi with tattoos on his face came near the duo before squatting down. He let the little puppy sniff him before a big, rough human paw cradled his head. He used one of his fingers to open its jaw; he looked towards the Doberman with a quirk arch of his brow.

“I’d say he’s boutta month old.”

“Bark.” His new friend grunted from below. The tall guy then shrugged and released his mouth. He turned towards his other friend, the one with the silver hair, the one who cradled him to his chest and let him sniff and groom him. Once the little silver haired boy looked his way, he hopped off the head of his friend and paddled up to him.

_Mom was right! Humans are fun! It's exciting! Friends galore!_ His tail just couldn’t stop wagging.

* * *

“Shunhei says his name is Pakkun.”

“Oh.”

“Scored yourself a little ninken there, kid.” Shun-senpai ruffled the little jonin’s hair, chuckling all the way.

“I wasn’t planning on keeping him.”

“Bahahaha, that little guy ain’t goin’ nowhere. He’s all yours.” His senpai gestured to the small pug now pawing at his sandaled covered toes.

“I can’t carry him everywhere.” He said lamely.

“Then make a summoning contract, Kakashi-kun.” Yui-senpai picked up the little ball of fluff and nuzzled it, cooing about what a _good boy he is, oh yes you are!_, while giggling from its affections. “They’re super easy. I could make one for you, if you’d like.” She then placed the puppy in Kakashi’s arms, who was all too eager to attack him with more licks and snorting nuzzles.

“Thanks, Yui-senpai.” He said as he gazed down into the innocent face of wrinkled fur. “So, Pakkun it is.”

“RAF!”

The silver haired jonin tucked the little pug underneath his arm and began to follow the rest of his squad mates. They were about an hour away from the camp, having already dropped off the squad they rescued at their destination.

Ryuji was very thankful for their escort, but he and the rest of his team had kept themselves at arm’s length like they were the plague. He recalled the strange looks in their eyes and the hesitation with which they spoke. The tension throughout the entire journey with Team Ryuji was palpable enough to cut. When he thought about it, it was like night and day after they had taken care of the swarm of Iwa and Taki nin; a complete 180-degree change.

Nonetheless, Squad 7 had remained as they were—jovial, boisterous, and lost in puzzle books. Thankfully, the journey hadn’t lasted more than a day. A heavy weight had lifted once they dropped off their precious cargo, literally and figuratively.

They were frightened, he realized. Frightened by what had to be done to rescue them. He didn’t blame them. He probably had more blood on his hands than they ever would have in this lifetime. At least they had the decency to keep their aversions to themselves. He already couldn’t stomach his own. No matter how much death played in the cards he dealt, he wouldn’t ever be able to rid himself of the fear and panic in the eyes of the slain or the taste of copper in his mouth.

The wiggling bundle of joy in his arms brought him back to the present. So small and fragile, with big innocent eyes. The little thing had become so enamored with the boy and he couldn’t quite understand why. The pug did not fear him; did not fear the amount of gore he bathed in, nor did he fear his hands that stole lives. Blissfully ignorant. He was his, his responsibility. His life to carry in his rough, calloused hands.

He laughed deprecatingly.

He had set out to take his own life and came out on the other side with another life to foster. The universe has such a funny sense of humor, he supposed.

* * *

Squad 7 had completed their post mission customs and were off to the mess hall for a healthy serving of stale rice and cardboard slabs of pork. It was the dinner hour and as usual, Captain Akimichi had whisked Taichou away in mindless conversation, leaving Squad 7 to stand in line without their leader.

Sakura-chan and Kakashi were listening to Yui-senpai and Shun-senpai discuss the finer points of ninken and summoning contracts. They were both knowledgeable and deliberated excitedly about the topic. Kakashi smiled to himself when Sakura-chan laughed and called them ‘nerds,’ jumping at the opportunity to dish the label back at Shun-senpai. He disagreed in a manner that was probably as polite as it could get for an Inuzuka of his character, stating that he was a ‘_Professional Ninken Enthusiast_,’ and that ‘_Kakashi has already sided with him_.’

He shook his head in silent disagreement.

“Someday, you’ll understand Sakura-chan. You too, Kakashi. You don’t know it yet, but one of these days, you’ll be thanking me for your newfound hobby!” He puffed out his chest proudly.

“What?!” The pinkette squawked. “You can’t claim _you’ve_ found him a hobby when Pakkun literally just walked up to him!”

“Just you wait, Sakura-chan. I’m gonna win that little bet when we he starts collecting more pups.” He wagged his finger in her face, “I can see it now! Hatake Kakashi—Proud Ninken Aficionado, apprenticed under the one and only coolest dude in the Land of Fire, Inuzuka Shun!” He waved his hand in the air, miming a banner of his own creation.

“You’re ridiculous!” She threw her hands up in indignation. “You aren’t even remotely cool!”

“Are you jealous Sakura-chan? Because as we ALL know, the puppies reel in all the ladies!” He had bent over, putting him at face level with the pinkette before waggling his eyes brows.

“You’re an idiot.” She deadpanned.

It was like Rin and Obito all over again, bickering over himself. _Like_ being the keyword, because while they were _not_ his former teammates, it laid the cobble stones for a road that fondness could tread. Although it made him sad and made him miss them terribly, he felt like he had been given a second chance to _be the teammate Rin and Obito needed_. Yes. He could be that for the two dorks squabbling in front of him.

He smile grew beneath his mask, secretly happy that all in the world had returned to the usual absurdity of his team mates—

“Oh, excuse me—” A body had bumped into his back. The little boy turned around to wave them off politely, but, “Oh. _It’s you_.” It was the Hyuuga from his previous platoon, and he was sneering with the kind of privilege only Noble Clan members were capable of. Trouble crept up the boy’s spine. “I see you haven’t offed yourself, yet, _Friend Killer_.” He hissed.

Kakashi’s back tensed; hackles raising as he stood frozen in place. The rest of the room seemed to quiet down in his periphery while he stared down his former teammate. His hands clenched into fists, likewise with his jaw.

“Guess I should have known. The Suicide Squad are like cockroaches; they just keep coming back. At least your bastard father had the decency.” His pale nose crinkled over the curl of his lips.

No fighting was allowed in the camps unless it was a friendly spar and the Hyuuga was treading dangerously on that thin line. Kakashi was torn between retreating into himself or turning his chestnut hair into a frizz ball of electricity. As he stood trembling with anger, he felt a gruff hand land on his shoulder, tugging him back.

Sakura-chan and Shun-senpai stepped in front the him, placing themselves in between. Then he felt it; their chakra pouring into the air creating a heaviness. It was violent and suffocating, and the spark in their eyes was just as feral. Sakura-chan, whose snarl wrinkled the bridge of her nose, spoke with a steady calmness that belied the undertones of her turbulent energy,

“Leave him alone.”

Her efforts earned an even more menacing sneer from the Hyuuga, who looked down upon her like the dirt beneath his sandals, while he cocked his arm back as if to strike her down.

“Defending this disgraceful piece of—” Abruptly, a hand snatched up the olive colored jonin vest, the pleather squeaking as the hand tightened it's grip. Shun-senpai was in his face, with a baiting toothy grin, daring him to finish the rest of his sentence.

“Mind your own fuckin’ business, Hyuuga.”

“What are you going to do about it?” He growled.

“Cause, it’d be a real damn shame if your platoon found you missing from your bunk tonight.”

“That a _threat_, dog boy?”

“Ho, ho, ho, what's this? Are we fighting now, boys?” The four of them looked over the Hyuuga’s shoulder and was graced with Captain Akimichi and Captain Nara standing behind them. One wore a wide grin while the other had their arms folded, respectively. “**_Because you know it’s against the rules to fight anywhere other than the training grounds._**”

If Sakura and Shun’s killing intent was suffocating enough, then two pissed off Captains probably just executed Kakashi and sent him to hell with their words alone.

“Just a misunderstanding, Taichou!” Sakura-chan smiled innocently, breaking the tempestuous visage over her face. Shun-senpai let the offender go with a click of his tongue before stepping back, eye lids hooded in feigned disinterest now that his parade had been rained on.

“Ah. I see. Well, I apologize for any grief Hyuuga-chan gave you three.” Aforesaid Hyuuga stiffened considerably under the chubby hand of his Taichou as it found purchase on his shoulder. Finely groomed chestnut eyebrows knitted as he glared at the group.

“No need for that, Akimichi-kun. _We’re all friends here, aren’t we?_” There was a very, very displeased look in Taichou’s eyes as he scanned the three of his own underlings. The silver haired jonin could only gulp and even that was hard to do when his throat felt like it was caving in on itself. The two Captains nodded at each other before segregating to their own teams.

They all took their meal trays to a table that was saved for them by the other members of Squad 7. While everyone else was engrossed in suppertime banter, Kakashi couldn’t find the heart to participate, let alone eat his meal.

He hated himself. Hated that he let someone get under his skin so easily. But above all, he hated how the memory of his father had come back to haunt him again. The vehemence with which it was spat was a pill Kakashi did not want to swallow. He hated any conversation that even _encroached_ on the topic of his father; his feelings a baggage he had no interest unpacking and sorting. What was even worse, was Obito’s comments of admiration echoing inside his head the night he died.

_Goddamnit_. He could feel his eyes stinging, the threat of tears imminent as his past began to rear its’ head like rabid dog. He bowed his head low, to hide his face from the world while he did his hardest to get himself under control.

Unexpectedly, Sakura-chan’s hand came to rest on clenched fists beneath the table. Her healing chakra smoothly coated his hand, relaxing his muscles and soothing the divots his nails made. Once they were slackened enough, she threaded her hand into the one closest to her and gave him a gentle squeeze. He turned his head towards her slightly; she was currently arguing with Shun-senpai again over something he wasn’t paying attention to. He looked back down at their hands held beneath the table.

“What the fuck!?” A loud voice squawked overhead, causing the chattering of the tent to pause.

He, himself, looked over and saw that the Hyuuga from earlier was standing. The chair he had sat in was laying on its side behind him, no doubt knocked over from the force of abrupt movements. The Hyuuga then turned towards Squad 7’s table with a look of pure and utter loathing before he threw his tray on the ground. With his pointed nose upward, he walked away in a huff. His single grey eye stared at the tray for a moment. There were insects crawling all about the rice and pork that was now wasted in the dirt.

“Looks like the boys forgot to clean the kitchen!” Shun-senpai howled with glee and shoved some of his own insect-less meal in his face.

Kakashi turned to Aburame-senpai who only shrugged before resuming his own dinner. He glanced down at his own tray. He finally picked up his own chopsticks and dug into his rice slowly, now feeling a little bit better than he had moments ago.

* * *

After dinner came sparring practice. Kakashi had found himself in a better mood the moment he and Sakura-chan started working on Kakurenbo. He lost himself in his concentration; every sinew of muscle was dedicated to memorization, every pull of his chakra was examined with attentiveness, and every plan had a second plan that had a third plan.

By the time he was ready to collapse in the dirt, he heard Taichou call his name, along with Sakura-chan, Shun-senpai, and Aburame-senpai. Obediently, the foursome stood and faced their captain. Then he heard the ninken handler start grumbling under his breath, though, he had no idea what for, until his captain spoke.

“You know the drill. Get to it.”

“Aw c’mon Capt’n. He started it!”

“Rules are rules, Shun-kun.” Nara-Taichou waved him off with a finality that left no room for a retort and proceeded to walk back towards the barracks.

“Ugh. The blows.”

Then, Kakashi watched as everyone got down on the ground. Shun-senpai and Aburame-senpai paired off and started a round of partner push ups. Sakura-chan was patiently waiting for him to get into position so they too, could begin what was more than likely a physical punishment.

Upon his questioning look, she said, “100 push ups, 100 sit ups, 100 squats, 100 lunges, 100 pull ups, 100 burpees, and 100 rounds of katas.”

“We’ll be here all night.”

“That’s the point.” She smiled and proceeded to get started once he was ready.

“Totally worth it, though!” Called Shun-senpai from right beside him.

“Not really.” Grunted Kakashi, his muscles were positively crying a river right now.

“Nonsense.” Aburame-senpai said. Kakashi looked over briefly; both of his senpai’s were shirtless, their skin glistening under the dimming sunlight. Not a tremble in their muscles to be observed. In contrast to himself, it seemed like this was just another walk in the park for them. “We take care of our own.”

“That’s right!” Sakura-chan huffed. Her face was flushed, and her hair was sticking to her forehead. Apparently, her stamina was beginning to waver just as much as his own. “Team as Family!” Her toothy smile was bright as per usual as she clapped her quaking hand against his.

_Family?_ He hadn’t had one of those in a long time. In truth, he hadn’t really had one. He hadn’t known his mother and by the time he could feed himself, his father was gone more often than not, especially during the height of the Second Shinobi war. When his father was present, all Kakashi had really cared about was making his father as proud as he could—no pastimes or entertainment ever graced the Hatake Household, a sort of desolate awareness Kakashi found that was now beginning to nurture little seedlings of regret.

Even his apartment held no such commodities of a homely hearth; no decorations or knickknacks that tied it all together in a wholesome little bow. The only thing he had was the photograph of Team Minato, which often found itself face down when he had gone to bed, the scars too fresh to look at. Cold and barren like the wasteland in his soul. Hell, his only company was the mold in his fridge. He probably should have checked that before he left. _Oops_.

“I suppose.”

“Besides! Huff! Huff!” Shun-senpai strained through his sit ups now, “Fuck that guy!” More huffs and grunts. “It’s been a long—_huff_—time coming—_huff_—and I’ve been—waiting to leave—a nice pile—of—dog shit—on his PILLOW!” He roared the last of his statement while he pushed himself through the rest of his own sit ups at a speed only _he_ was capable of. He hopped onto to his own two feet from his supine position, pumped up with the immature ideations of retaliation. A devious sort of glee crossed his sweaty face as he imagined it all in his head.

He started going through his squat routines enthusiastically, leaving Kakashi in astonishment and resentment; his stomach muscles protested furiously with threats of projectile vomit. Sakura-chan looked about ready to throw in her own towel as she grimaced, going through the motions. 

“How does he do it?” He uttered under his breath.

“Kya!!” Sakura-chan wailed as she completed the last rep in her sit ups. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air. “Shun—_huff_—is used to it.” The admission was choppy, but the message was clear: Shun-senpai was the _Team Miscreant_. “Be thankful—_huff_—it isn’t—any worse than this.” She dragged her body into the squat position, Kakashi ambling behind her.

“What could be worse than this??” He hissed, the feelings in his legs had given up and gone home as he worked through his reps. Salty sweat stung his eyes that fell from his brow as he thought_, because this is pretty goddamn miserable_.

As if on cue, Inuzuka-senpai started cackling, “Hahaha, trust me, kid there are worse punishments out there!” He threw the little jonin an ‘all-knowing’ grin before lunging back and forth across the training grounds. “This is Taichou being nice!”

Kakashi couldn’t decide if that was true or not. On one hand, Taichou watched them all train themselves to the bone and _knowingly waited_ until they were ready to collapse to tell them they had an extra serving of physical training to scarf down. On the other, if this was Taichou truly being merciful, Kakashi wondered what other sort of punishments were available from the menu, and what the potential cost would be.

He didn’t say anything for the rest of the night, electing to focus on not throwing up his dinner while he powered through the rest of his physical sentence. His thoughts whisked his attentions away from the throbbing disapproval of his body, leaving his physical being in a state of auto pilot.

Meanwhile, Shun-senpai easily zipped through his katas with energy to spare. Aburame-senpai followed shortly thereafter, and if he was hurting just as bad as he was, he didn’t show any of it as he zipped up his trench coat. By the time Sakura-chan was done, she took a moment for herself to lay in the dirt to chase her breath.

Kakashi had only gotten a quarter way through his Katas and waved her off, insisting that she should go rather than waiting up for him as he had no intention of finishing any time soon. She left reluctantly, but nonetheless, she did, finally leaving him to his own devices.

When he reached his 99th kata, he was absolutely soaked from head to toe in glittering sweat beneath the moon. It had reached its peak in the sky indicating that it was well past midnight at this point. As he struggled to keep his form, an unusual face surfaced in the ocean of his mind. Maito Guy and his bizarre propensity to dabble in the arts of self-improvement through repetitious overkill.

Unfortunately, as he swam deeper in the past encounters with his green-clad peer, his father resurfaced again, bringing all the events of the evening to come full circle. With the little anger left brewing beneath his sweat slicked skin, he forwent form in his fury and chucked out the last kata shamefully, and promptly collasped face down in the dirt.

It was as if there was no escape to the haunting of the surname he wore. And each time the ghost of his father emerged, it grew harder and harder to stomach than the previous occurrences. His fingers curled in the dirt as jaw clenched in pain—either from the physical or mental duress, he didn't know. He was so spent that he had no more strength to suppress the tears. They fell across the bridge of his nose and onto the ground softly.

His father left this world drowning in the shame created by his colleagues, a sin he couldn’t begin to fathom himself, but did he have to leave his own son drowning, too? The posthumously bitter remarks whispered were his father’s legacy for him to bear alone. Worse yet, was lady luck’s role in the events of _his own life_ that had only made those remarks twice as hard and heavy to carry.

And now the whole fucking camp knows. He saw it in their averted stares and quiet utterances. If they hadn’t known before, well, thanks to the Hyuuga, his dirty laundry was now on display for everyone to pick apart.

Kakashi wasn’t the type of boy to complain, but right now—it just wasn’t fair. It was so unfair. Would he always be destined for pain and torment? Surely beyond the karma of his chosen profession, other Shinobi seemed to breeze through life without being weighed down by their own baggage. So, for him, why was it so different? Why was it so hard? _Why did it always hurt?_ Everything fucking hurt.

“Kakashi-kun.”

The prone boy glanced upward and was met with a pair of feet. He blinked away his steady stream of tears and craned his neck to see that of his Taichou’s face staring down at him. When it became apparent that Kakashi had no voice with which to speak, his Captain squatted down and helped the boy into a sitting position. He said nothing as he wiped his tears on his sweat soaked shirt in vain.

Taichou then took a seat next to him in the silence, arms perched on his knees as he threaded his fingers together.

“I spoke with Captain Akimichi.” He peered at the boy from the corner of his eyes. He had his head in his hands, looking downward. “The Hyuuga has been reprimanded appropriately, and you can be certain he will no longer inconvenience you.” He disclosed softly.

Surprise took him first as he turned his head to the man sitting beside him. His face was relaxed beneath the twilight as he watched the clouds soar aimlessly in the sky. He looked so content, not a hard line of seriousness gracing the corners of his mouth or eyebrows. Just contentment and it was strikingly odd to witness.

The young jonin shook his head, “Doesn’t matter. He’s right anyways.” His eyes resumed staring at the dirt between his legs. It was quiet between the two of them while the sounds of nature played faintly in the background.

“It’s my fault.”

“What are you talking about?” Genuinely confused, Kakashi could only furrow his brow as he glared at the ground. If he was talking about the punishment, then yeah, he would certainly agree. But otherwise, he had no clue what he was implying so he waited for his captain to elaborate.

“The reason why your father killed himself.”

Well, that was not what he expected. His chest tightened with a newfound kind of rage. He turned his head sharply to face his captain, and asked as patiently as much as he could, “_What_.”

His captain finally turned his own head down towards him with what could only be deciphered as utterly painful regret. He looked so old and withered, as if time had mangled his visage through an emotional meat grinder throughout the years. Before he spoke, he returned his gaze to the stars in the sky.

“Noburu and I were newly minted Rangers. Sakumo-sama was our captain during the second war.” He paused to let Kakashi’s mind follow along.

“We just finished extracting POW’s from Iwagakure when we were tasked with delivering an urgent message from our allies. It was a scramble against time. But we were ambushed with an _entire legion_ from Suna.” He chuckled bitterly.

“I had the scroll…I was so god damn tired from all the fighting.” There was a far away look in his eyes, as if he had spiritually plummeted himself back in time. “That I faltered for just a second…just a second.” He whispered, as if it was the secret of a lifetime. Kakashi watched as he lowered his head, clenching a bloody and bruised fist in the cloth of his standard issued pants.

“I still hear the sounds of the blade whizzing past my ear at night. I was fighting a red-haired man and a brown-haired woman wielding puppets. Their weapons were laced with poison, of course.” He trailed off. “I started having trouble breathing. Hatake-Taichou had to step in and take care of them. But it was pointless. There was too many of them, and everyone was so exhausted that half of the soldiers we rescued ended up dying anyways. Your father made the decision to retreat.”

Holy fuck.

_Holy. Fuck._

The Nara Sato, the immovable and unwavering captain _was fallible_. He couldn’t even fathom the name Nara Sato and fallible in the same sentence. Much less realize that _such a man could even be vulnerable_; a man with whom he was sitting next to, confessing a story Kakashi had never been privy to. He had wondered from time to time what it was that caused his father to abandon the code of conduct. Now that he had the answer, he wasn’t sure anymore.

Nara-taichou looked back up towards the sky. “Are you familiar with Kikyō Pass?”

“I heard it was blessed by a priestess named Kikyō.” The little boy scrunched his brow slightly, confused by the change of topic. Taichou remained silent, gathering his thoughts.

“The scroll I was carrying was supposed to be delivered to the Jonin Commander as soon as possible. On March 26th, the same day we arrived at HQ with the message, over fifty platoons had been shipped out as reinforcements for the front lines. They were traveling through a valley that was rigged with traps and an entire Iwa Army waiting at the end. They called it the Valley of the Graves before the priestess came.”

His head was spinning, and he was sure that if his Captain continued, he’d end up with his dinner on the ground. This…this can’t be true, can it? _Christ, it just can’t be_. He knew there was a dark reason why the priestess had blessed the valley, but to finally understand that his father and the man next to him had played a part in the creation of such a monumental place…_fuck_. He could feel the beginnings of an attack coming on—the tightening of his chest and the pace of his breathing picking up.

“When the reinforcements never showed up, our comrades couldn’t hold the boarder and we lost that front, too. It was one of the worst domino effects Konoha had ever seen.”

The silver haired boy remembered that day; he was in class when his genin instructors had dismissed everyone from lecture for the day. The aftermath left Konoha devastated; the spirit of its folk shattered and broken.

Sato’s battered hands left the folds of his pants to rub over a weary face. When he was done, he looked sideways at the boy beside him, and spoke ever so gently, "The scroll I carried had intel that would have prevented that. Ironic, isn't it?

“We had no way of knowing what was in the message until the news spread. But Hatake-Taichou still blamed himself. It was an innocent decision, a decision your father should never have had to make in the first place.

“It wasn’t dishonor that killed your father, although I won’t say it didn’t have a part in it. But rather, it was the weight of a thousand lives lost that did.”

A weight which began to steep like tea in the little boy’s spine. A weight which made the air surrounding his Taichou’s confession all that much heavier when the words settled in his belly. He had known that his father’s decision to abandon the mission for the lives of his comrades, but he no idea of the massive burden the circumstances had truly been.

Taichou finally stood up, holding out a bruised and swollen hand for him to take.

“For what it’s worth, Kakashi, your father was a damn good shinobi and a damn good Captain. He taught me everything I know. If you need something to hate, hate the rules of the game we play.”

The older man then pulled out a small piece of paper from the Captain's band on his arm before handing it to the boy. It was a picture of his father, clad in the Ranger's uniform. In the place where his right arm was typically wrapped in bandages, was the infamous black captain's band. He had that familiar smile, crows feet an all, as he stood among his team. Nara-Taichou and Noburu-senpai standing in the foreground with cheesy smiles to match in their youthful years.

“But you need to know, your father adored you. _You_ were the only reason that he always raced back to the village. _That mission took everything from him_, and he couldn’t bear the thought that he would also lose you because of it…you were the only thing he had left in this life. He does not deserve his dishonor.” His voice broke a little as a few tears slipped out of his sharp brown eyes.

“So please…believe it when I say he really was a good man.”

* * *

**Sato Nara, 26 YRO:** Current Ranger and Captain of Squad 7

Birthday: May 17th

Likes: Coffee, studying philosophy, and questioning his superiors

Dislikes: His superiors

Hobbies: post card collecting and bird watching,

Squad Designation: Captain of Squad 7, Strategist; occasionally fills in either as offense/defense/support role where applicable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the opportunity to get creative with Hatake Sakumo VS Sasori's parents and I think i played it well to my plot's advantage. When I think about why Sakumo-sama did what he did, I figure that such a concept would have to be emotionally complex in nature at the fullest potential possible. Because Kakashi was only 5 when it happened, I would assume most 5 year olds don't really grasp the full capacity of such circumstances and I feel like sometimes that gets watered down, even if they are super ninja prodigies. So, because I'm always extra as fuck, I opted to go down the Miley Cyrus route like a wrecking ball. Figuratively, speaking.
> 
> I was researching how Pakkun came to be under Kakashi's care and I couldn't find a translation for 'Pakkun,' so i started thinking about his personality and it hit me. From what I remember of Pakkun's personality and his mildy arrogant mannerisms (see pink padded paws), I think he is the sassy enough type to give himself his own name, you know? So there my lame excuse for how Pakkun got his name :D
> 
> InuYasha anyone? Yes, that was my little tribute to the one anime that introduced me to my inner weeb. Thank you Adult Swim.
> 
> I know the holidays are coming up, so be safe and be well. But fret not, I will continue to post on Fridays/Saturdays throughout December.  
McK 🌒


	9. Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, you guys! Thank you so much for the love! Heckin' 2k hits?! 100+ Kudos?! Get outta town, ya'll! You guys are so f*ckin' awesome!
> 
> This chapter is my ABSOLUTE favorite (so far). It's the pivotal moment, ya'll. It took me literally all of November to write this baby.
> 
> Also, can I just say, I literally discovered NF like three months ago and holy smokes, you guys. If Kakashi's childhood was an album, it would be literally everything NF wrote. Seriously.
> 
>   
[Change - NF](https://youtu.be/j__VYXZ-5Cw)
> 
> Please, enjoy!

* * *

_How do you bear the weight of the world on your shoulder? _

* * *

When Kakashi woke the next day, it was in his bunk, with his eyes crusted over in dried tears. Again. His muscles ached, his bones felt brittle, and his mind was empty. Though, that wasn't what hurt the most; his heart did. A heart the was still bleeding from the truth. Even after all this time, after everything that’s happened, how could there be anything left to bleed? How could there be so much more hurt left to feel?

The camp was quiet this morning. Even if all his teammates had already risen, his brain wasn’t processing audio currently. He sat up and stared at his hands in his lap. Skin and his fingernails were still caked with dirt. His clothes, still on from the previous day, were crumpled, stained, and moist. When he brought his head up, he saw Pakkun still dozing at the foot of his bed. His paws twitched every now in then, probably dreaming blissful doggy adventures. After rubbing his eyes, feeling the crusts fall away, he took a moment of cover behind the shades of his lids.

He felt hollow. As hollow as the most decaying tree that could be found in fire country—abandoned on a forest floor, isolated, and forgotten while the rest of the world went on. When the sun would still rise and set, the leaves would wilt under an autumn season and return—but the abandoned tree would remain where it was left. That’s how he felt; stuck in time.

Body on autopilot, he went about starting his day. His movements jostled the little pug awake. Kakashi didn’t see the head cock of his new ninken. He gathered a change of clothes and headed for the showers, Pakkun following behind. When he stepped out of the tent, he felt the warm rays of the morning sun peering over the treetops of the camp.

Finally, the bustling of life faded into the background of his brain’s processor.

* * *

_Or, more appropriately, how do you bear the weight of a thousand worlds lost?_

* * *

How could the world be so grey? How could there be so much grey in a world of reds, blacks, cool steel, and death? So many shades and shadows obscured between the white and blacks of his life. Lackluster. When did it all become so convoluted? Convoluted, but also barren? How could two concepts dance together so well?

He poked at his rice and eggs. He wasn’t sure why he even bothered to stand in line and dish himself, only to sit here and eat with his eyeball instead of his mouth. Across from him, Sakura-chan was about two inches of way from face planting in her own bowl. She looked a right mess.

She hadn’t bothered to shower yet; her rat nest of hair with mud and sweat resembled a frayed cotton ball at best. With her cheek smashed on the table, she stared at the bowl with narrowed eyes. Either she was trying to will the contents of the bowl into her mouth of its own inanimate volition or she was debating on if nutrition was truly worth the sacrifice of enduring the pain in her joints.

On the other end of the table, Shun and Hideyoshi were eating without the same amount of concentrated efforts he and Sakura-chan had to forge. His feelings of admiration and envy for their strength and endurance lasted but a moment, like a fleeting balloon in the back of his head before it disappeared under the clouds of exhaustion.

He looked down to his right where Pakkun was currently trying to gnaw on Shunhei’s tail. Apparently, the Doberman was amused and continued to tease the Pug by whipping his tail back and forth out of his reach. He glanced upwards to see his Senpais busy in conversation. While he was distracted, he quickly placed his bowl beneath the table for both ninken. Their brown-black faces lit up at the prospect of food and did not hesitate to lurch towards it. They gobbled up the breakfast with glee, and thankfully, in seconds.

No one noticed that Kakashi’s bowl had magically been divested of its contents. He and his empty bowl slipped away unnoticed from the table.

* * *

_It must be heavy, Dad._

* * *

It was second nature to Kakashi as he flew through the trees of Fire Country. A skill he learned when he was a wee lad, just after receiving his first set of kunai and shuriken. A skill that required little attention these days for him. So much so, that it allowed him to just soar on cruise control.

Squad 7 was on their way to Grass again. Their objective was the same as his first mission; a raid. There were 20 platoon’s worth of reinforcements scheduled to arrive at a certain Grass Port. As usual, they were instructed to take everything and leave no one alive. Their journey would take only a day and half to reach the scheduled checkpoint, allowing them a few days to prepare for the incoming battle.

“You ready, Kakashi-kun?” His partner chirped from beside him. The sun had faded from its highest point in the sky and dipped below the horizon. Only when he looked up from his unopened ration bar did he take notice of the change.

“That time already?”

“Time passes when you’re having fun, right?” She smiled so wide at him. _Oh, oh, the irony._

“I guess.” He pocketed the bar and wandered over to the designated training spot with Sakura-chan.

“What’s the matter?” She tilted her head at him, making them pause in their walk. He just gave her an eye crinkling smile,

“Didn’t sleep well last night.” Lie. She nodded and carried on, Kakashi following behind.

They practiced Kakurenbo. The more drills they ran together, the more it became second nature to slip away into the darkness of the Silent Killing technique. Just like flying through the trees. The more his muscles memorized the patterns, the less he thought about it. The less he thought about it, the more ruthless he got—not quite aware that this was practice. If Sakura-chan recognized the change, she didn’t comment on it, and instead, upped the ante.

By the time they were finished training, they dragged themselves into their tent, long after everyone else had gone to bed. When he collapsed on his bedroll, he felt weightless, a type of feeling he thought was incongruent with the state of his life right now. With his eyes plastered to the tent, his inner monologue finally resurfaced.

Weightless, as if there was something that should be there _but isn’t_. Something missing. Like something was _stolen from him_. The more he recapped the conversation between him and his Captain, the more he recognized what it was. He could feel the beginnings of his anger begin to fester around the edges of his heart.

_They took his father away._

The warmth of a homely hearth he found in his father’s strong arms and genuine smiles. The reason he took pride in following the legendary footsteps of his predecessors. The pride of the Hatake name they sentenced to the gallows; a name that snapped under the noose. A name that was now reduced to nine shattered diamonds and dust.

_They stole that from him._

But when his anger reached a boiling point, it catalyzed into remorse. Because as much as he would have liked to be angry at the world, he hadn't been an innocent bystander when push came to shove. Just another failure at seeing the true underneath.

* * *

_Burdensome. Exhausting. I can’t even imagine._

* * *

Sleep was not his bedmate that night. No matter how often he readjusted he couldn’t stop thinking. It was obsessive. By the fifth readjustment, Sakura-chan reached out to still him. Her warm palm found purchase upon his cheek. The glow of her chakra in his peripherals a faint viridian hue while the cooling sensations began to flood into his skull. She slurred incoherently through her drool before sinking him to oblivion.

His dreams were not his friends either tonight, for he dreamed a terrible dream. One that was about the last day he had been with his father. The final memory of the cold shoulder of an indifferent child.

When the rumors had found his ears, he remembered his heart was indecisive. He was an observant and clever boy, and the disdain towards Hatake Sakumo never went unnoticed. Nor did the words coward and failure go unheard. They often coalesced between disgrace and ‘_a shinobi must always put the mission first._’

He watched himself struggle to assimilate those words with the image of his strong and noble father. A man who was fierce not only in battle, but so too, in his convictions. A man who was as passionate about Konoha as he was loyal. A man who asked for naught but the best life for his only son. Only to be reduced to a man whose dissolution usurped the artificial smiles he paraded around. A man who slept with his shame behind closed doors…because those things had been true.

Yes, he was an observant and clever boy.

But a boy he only was. And boys often never understood the fundamentals of living life and the emotions that follow. Nor did they understand how to bear the weight of numerous worlds on a spine too broken by the circumstances. Much less the notion that the masses needed an object with which to blame and to condemn.

The art of war has always been fought with the subtle details. Surety in victory was ruled by the humble and never by the ego. A vivid painting of an array of qualities and sacrifices that could only be appreciated by the players of the game. Outsiders had no perception of such axioms and, therefore, unbridled mindsets always discounted such purposeful brushstrokes. The very same brushstrokes that determined the course of war. Such has it been, such as it will always be.

And he hated it.

But all he could do now was sleep with _his own shame_.

* * *

_I wish I had known._

* * *

The next day was no different than the last. The world was still scattered specks of various grays, and his chest was still hollow. Like a bird that is colorblind, he continued to fly through the trees. The mundane felt like his only saving grace. The monotony of his actions was his solace, his only shred of normalcy.

It was clockwork. Like time, it was reliable. It was there. Even if that’s all it was.

Time.

If he could go back. If only.

What he wouldn’t give. He would be a little bit more patient. A little bit more understanding. A little bit more wiser than the day before. He’d sacrifice his world, his talents, and his dignity. He would take his retribution out on the world if he had the means.

But for now, all he could do was sacrifice one thousand lives. He could take his anger out on the legions of his enemy. The same opposition that forced his dad to his knees. The opposition that forced him apart from his father. The opposition that shattered his whole world. The opposition that fed him lies three times a day. The opposition that wounded his heart so.

What he wouldn’t give.

* * *

_I wish you had told me, Dad._

* * *

“Again.”

The sounds of ringing metal rang throughout the training area. The snarls of a little boy were only heard between himself and his opponent. Kakashi had been in an outright foul mood the moment he woke up. He wanted to destroy everything, anything he could get his hands on. Anything to placate the wrath in his heart.

The muscles of his arms were trembling. He hushed them with a steady stream of chakra, drowning the pain and misery away. The migraine in his head began to pound over and over again as he pushed himself through the afternoon spar with Shun-senpai. He was drenched in sweat and dirt, and he was slowly bringing his senpai down to his dirt-coated, sweaty level.

His opponent quirked a brow, and gifted Kakashi with a swift flat-footed kick to his chest. He watched the kid skid backwards onto his ass. The Ninken handler crossed his arms and hollered, “I think we’re done here. Sakura-chan! Come get your wild animal!”

“Again!” The boy seethed. He brought his limbs into a stance and prepared to charge, kunai in each hand. The older shinobi rolled his eyes before he disappeared and reappeared within in his guard. A sweaty, calloused hand closed over his face and pushed. His world was rocked the minute his head bounced off the earth and the air escaped his lungs. 

When he opened his eyes, he saw his senpai gazing at him with a look of exasperation and amusement. When Shun-senpai’s knee let off his solar plexus, he was able to breath without constraint. Kakashi huffed; the message was loud and clear.

“We’ll pick up later when it isn’t so easy to mop the floor with your face, kid.” The little boy rolled his eyes after having his hair ruffled. Shun-senpai got up and walked away, presumably back to the camp. It was getting close to lunch, after all.

Kakashi remained sitting in the dirt, stewing in his thoughts. Until Sakura-chan retrieved him, her gentle chakra soothing the forming bruise over his sternum. She had shoved a canteen and few sticks of dried meat in his hands while she worked all the while grumbling something about boys being stupid and reckless.

* * *

_Obito was right about you._

* * *

Night had fallen, the moon rising to its throne in the sky. They were all seated amongst a fire. The chatter of the group faintly echoed in the background. He had managed to eat more than half of his dinner portion, powering through the waves of nausea he felt. He was hungry but not hungry at the same time, if that was possible. He knew he should eat, even though he didn’t want to.

His focus was on the firepit. He watched the flames crackle and dance hypnotically. A distraction to the rampant deliberations in his mind. A distraction so successful, he was slow to react when Aburame-senpai had returned from his watch.

The insect user stopped before the campfire, briefly informing everyone that the caravan was fast approaching, and would be within their area by sundown tomorrow. Taichou nodded and thanked the shinobi for his update. He then pulled a stick from the fire pit and began to draw stratagems within the dirt.

Everyone was given a task. The caravan would be passing through a small man-made canyon with a bridge. Utilizing the divide and conquer method, Shun-senpai would rig the bridge to explode once half of the platoons had crossed. Captain, Noburu, Yui, and Hideyoshi would be on one side of the canyon and engaging the front half, while the rest of the squad would be on the opposite end. Yui then passed a scroll to the Inuzuka for sealing all the goods.

When the discussion was finished, Kakashi and Sakura got up to begin their watch over the perimeter. She gave him a farewell wave and told him she’d see him back at the tent. He nodded and waved back, heading his own way.

Once he reached his assigned location, he paused in front of the tree he was meant to climb and emptied his dinner on the ground.

* * *

_I never told you…_

* * *

Kshhhh. Squelch. Clink.

Kunai kissed kunai. The ground feasted on blood and flesh. Smoke blazed upon the heavens.

“Please…I-I have a family...”

The young boy who wore a blank mask stared through its eyeholes. His Chidori chirping violently beside him; the flicking of light painted dancing shadows over blank porcelain. He cocked his head.

He had a family, too, once. He’d never see them again. Not until he died, but even then, in the instant his Chidori created another hole in another chest, he doubted he’d ever see them in the afterlife. Not after this. He pulled his hand free, the lightening still buzzing in his right limb. He stared at the hole he created—right through the heart, which he felt explode upon contact with his fingers.

He brought his left hand over his own beating heart. He couldn’t really feel it. He wondered how big the hole in _his chest_ was. The more the truth settled, the more it seemed the cavity grew. No matter how many enemies he killed, no matter how many times he told himself it was justified to take their lives because they took the all lives of his loved ones, it never filled void.

But this was war. This had to be done. So why did it make him feel worse?

“Kakashi-kun!!”

His head bobbed up and saw an enemy, mere seconds away, ready to give him a taste of his own deathly medicine. He blinked and just stood there. Not out of fear, but perhaps in anticipation? He did not _want to_ move. Would this sword be the one thing to fill that void?

He blinked again and was greeted with Inner Sakura standing in front of him, taking the brunt of the blade. The sword plunged through the body, disappearing into her abyss. The next thing he knew he was body checked by a flash of pink.

It was all slow motion. He saw the worry in her eyes, the crease of her brows lidding over her emeralds. He looked towards his would-be killer and saw Shunhei whizz through the air, jaws zeroed in on their throat until it was gone, leaving a mangled, gurgling, sputtering airway.

“I’m fine, Sakura-chan.” Another lie.

She shoved his mask up, while plunging chakra into his system. He closed his eyes for a second, the soothing energy subduing him. When she realized he was, indeed, okay, she gripped his chest plate, bringing him up to her face.

“You idiot!” She slapped him with her free hand. “I am NOT losing you, too! Now get it the fuck together!” She shoved his mask back down on his face, covering up his wild shock. She then turned, launching suspiciously colored senbon towards encroaching enemies on their left. They all landed in random places of human flesh. Before they could reach the two youngest shinobi on the field, their bodies began to jerk and seize. Out of nowhere, Shun-senpai came barreling through, leaving arcs of bright cherry-red blood spray as he went.

She grabbed him by the shoulder onto his feet and returned to the fray. She cast her world tilting genjutsu, and Kakashi followed suit, his hands completing the signs for another Chidori.

The slap must have knocked a little more focus in him because his mind stayed quiet for the duration of combat. He stole glances at his partner from time to time. She appeared tense and had caught his eye on more than one occasion. She was _definitely angry_ with his display, or rather, lack thereof. She didn’t have to say anything; her actions were loud enough when she snapped necks with her bare hands.

The last scream resounded at the break of dawn.

* * *

_…that you were my hero, Dad._

* * *

He shuffled his feet as he walked back into the camp a day and a half later. They walked in two single file lines back to the barracks to start their post-mission rituals. He greeted Pakkun with a quick belly rub before he unloaded his pack onto the bed. The pug took a whiff and retreated with whine. He arched a brow and then the smell hit him.

He was rancid.

_Huh. When did I last shower? ...Oh. Three days ago—wait. Four days ago_. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, feeling how slick it was. He pulled his hand back and looked at his now shiny skin that was covered in sweat and grease. He closed his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh.

Where did the time go? Where did his focus go?

He grabbed his clothes and shoved them back into the pack, making a mental note to head to the communal laundromat. He went to his standard issue duffle bag beneath the cot; it was about his height in length. It held all his belongings—clothes, seasonal gear, and extra weapons. He pulled out a spare set of civvies to change into.

“You goin’ to shower, kid?” Shun-senpai called from his bed that sat across from his.

“Yeah.”

“You wanna spar afterward?”

“Sure.” He slipped on his shower sandals while his senpai did the same.

“You okay?” Shun-senpai slipped his paw printed towel over his shoulders.

“Yeah. Just tired.” Half lie.

The duo made their way over to the communal showers. It was late in the afternoon, with a couple hours before dinnertime. The showers thankfully weren’t overcrowded at this time of day. They placed their items on a nearby shelf, grabbed their toiletries, and stepped under lukewarm showerheads.

“Sooooo…whassup with you and Sakura-chan?” His senpai beckoned after scrubbing his tattooed face.

“Huh?” The boy quirked a brow as he looked over his shoulder towards the older shinobi.

“She’s mad.”

“Oh.” He shrugged and began to lather up. The rinse did nothing for the stench, so he placed a generous helping of soap in his palm and proceeded to scrub his four-day-old hair. “I don’t know.” But the truth was, he did know.

She hadn’t said a word to him the entire time they traveled back. Of course, she did a swell job putting an act on; she chatted amiably with everyone else when they called for her attention, but otherwise, stayed glued to her puzzle book. He saw the crease in her brow make its guest appearance on more than one occasion along with her eraser.

Nearly thirty days’ worth of sleeping, eating, and training side by side with the pinkette, provided some insight into her quaint little mannerisms, and he was certain he was the cause of her change in behavior. It was probably even more obvious to the rest of their squad, though, they hadn't commented on it until now.

“Well, whatever you did, just agree with everything she says and say you’re sorry.”

“That sounds dumb.”

“Trust me. Females are complicated and arguing is pointless.”

They were almost finished rinsing when they heard the door to the showers open. They both looked up at the newcomer and saw none other than the Hyuuga from his previous platoon. The threesome held each other’s stare for a several awkward seconds. In that time, Kakashi had noticed the ugly, yellowing-greenish ring around a pupil-less, lavender eye along with an equally yellow-green ring around a scabbed, split lip.

“Che.” The Hyuuga looked away and promptly turned tail.

“Nice shiner, Hyuuga!” His senpai cackled before resuming his shower, scrubbing suds here and there along his tanned, muscular body. “That’ll teach ya! Hahahaha!”

“What?”

“Oh yeah, you missed it! While you were dragging your nuts during drills, Taichou and good ol’ boy squared off. You should’a seen it, kid. Hahahahahaha!”

_…‘I had the scroll…I was so god damn tired from all the fighting.’ There was a faraway look in his eyes, as if he had spiritually plummeted himself back in time. ‘That I faltered for just a second…just a second.’ He whispered, as if it was the secret of a lifetime. Kakashi watched as he lowered his head, clenching a bloody and bruised fist in the cloth of his standard issued pants…_

“Ah.” The young boy looked down, watching the bubbles disappear down the drain.

“Now that I think about it…I don’t think I’ve ever seen Taichou so angry. Like, I’ve never seen that sort of crazy look before. Eh, oh well—what? Are you okay dude?” He looked down and saw the young boy was wiping his forearm across his face.

“Got soap in my eyes.” Lie.

“Well, be careful. You don’t know want to know what happens when you drop the soap!”

* * *

_I’m beginning to understand all the things you tried to teach me._

* * *

“Okay! It’s ready~!” Yui chirped. Her cheeks, splattered with random bits of ink, puffed up in a proud grin. She held up a blue banded scroll that had the Hatake diamond crest painted in silver. Inside, on the yellow paper, were various sigils and characters that indicated summoning and blood bonds. She laid it on the ground, in front of Kakashi and Pakkun, who had been watching her work.

“So, all it needs is a bit of blood between you and your pooch, and you’re all set to go!” She pulled out a kunai and handed it over to Kakashi to commence the deed. He carefully nicked each fingertip, squeezing each digit until a perfunctory amount of capillary blood was present. Yui then directed his hand to his spot within the inked swirl. Once he completed his prints, she instructed him to leave his blood signature, which was scrawled with his notorious henohenomoheji.

It was Pakkun’s turn now.

He held him in his lap, while the redhead went to work. Thankfully, Pakkun was too excited to notice the pricks on his pink padded paw while he doused Kakashi’s face with sloppy wet kisses. When she finished, she rotated the scroll so Pakkun’s prints would go in his assigned inked swirl on the opposing end Kakashi’s.

Afterward, Kakashi finished the summoning bond with the according hand signs. The scroll pulsed a few times with a blue light before fading, leaving all written contents black, including the blood. Not a beat later, they heard a familiar pop and a puff of smoke, signifying Pakkun’s sudden disappearance.

“So where do they go?” He voiced his thoughts aloud.

“Oh!” She pointed to a specific sigil that was bound with a singular thick line to the Hatake diamond. “This character is the for the ninken realm, kinda like the ‘_all doggies go to heaven_’ concept.”

“I’ve never heard of that.”

“You don’t get out, much do you?” She sighed, but continued, “Anyways. Ninken realm. Your clan crest here is the equivalent of creating a doghouse in that realm. So, when you or the pups feel their job is done here in our world, they’ll have a home to return to. Of course, they don’t have to stay there all the time. Once they’re strong and skilled enough, they’ll be able to move between worlds on their own.” He nodded, soaking up the information.

“Also, it’s a good place to store your scroll. If this gets destroyed, you’ll lose the summoning bond with your ninken, and their doghouse in that realm will be forfeit. So, when you summon Pakkun back, just give this to him so he can hide it there. Although, it isn’t the end of the world if the scroll does get destroyed; you’ll just have to start from scratch all over again.” She shrugged. “Now try summoning him.”

His scratched at the forming scab on his thumb, proceeding to press the new bead of blood against his palm, smearing it. Then he pressed his palm down to the ground and whispered _Kuchiyose no jutsu_. The familiar pop and puff resounded again, and Pakkun reappeared. Amidst the puggy kisses and puggy paws, Kakashi rolled up his new summoning scroll.

“Thanks, Yui-senpai.”

“Anything for my cutie patootie!!” She squished his cheeks together and placed kisses of her own on each side of his temples. “See you at dinner, Kakashi-kun!” She left him on the ground, blushing and embarrassed, under the assault of a month-old puppy.

When he gathered his wits about him, he placed the scroll in his pouch and wandered off to the mess hall, Pakkun in tow. When he arrived in the mess, he spotted the rest of his team in line, chatting amongst themselves. He moved to stand at the back of the line, with his hands in pockets. Glancing down, he watched Pakkun busy himself with a menacing pile of dirt, and shook his head.

The line shifted in his peripherals and he made to move forward but was abruptly stopped when he realized that the reason the line shifted was in part due to his teammates coming to stand next to him.

“Tried to call your name, but you were in La-La Land.” Shun said before bending down to give Pakkun some affectionate head scratches. Taichou and Noburu nodded at Kakashi and resumed their conversation at the back of the group. In front of him were Yui and Hideyoshi chatting quietly; the insect user brought a hand up to wipe some ink from Yui’s face, making her blush and giggle.

An odd feeling settled in his chest. They didn’t have to move, but they did. Because _team as family!_ Sakura-chan said. _We take care of our own_, Hideyoshi-senpai said.

“Whatcha thinkin’ so hard about?”

“Nothing.” Lie. “Where’s Sakura-chan?” He looked around the hall that seemed to be devoid of any pink-haired ninja.

“Said she didn’t feel good. Period cramps or something.”

* * *

_I know it’s too late now, but I’m changing._

* * *

He probably shouldn’t have eaten so much. He’d given into his appetite, now that it had decided to arrive fashionably late. Thankfully, Shun elected to begin teaching Kakashi how to train his new ninken, rather than sparring.

Pakkun was a quick learner, just as he was in his yesteryears. Once the pug was all tuckered out, he laid boneless in his master’s arms to be carried back to the barracks. As for the silver haired boy himself, he still felt only slightly overstuffed now that the food settled. It was decent for a change, no waves of nausea, so far.

He stripped himself down to a minimally comfortable layer of clothing before crawling into bed. Just as he was about to pull his itchy blanket overhead, he saw the bed beside his. A lonely, weathered pack sat atop, in the same place, undisturbed. She hadn’t been back to the barracks since their arrival this morning. In fact, she was absent for most of the day, even skipping out on dinner.

He furrowed his brows and looked around. Everyone had already settled in for the evening. Even Taichou was going to bed on time. With a heavy-hearted sigh, he threw the blanket back and went to meet his matchmaker.

He wandered around at a lazy pace, hands in his pockets. The camp itself was as deserted as it could get after business hours. Fortunately, that left only a few places for him to look. He didn’t have to search for long as he found her just outside Squad 7’s training area.

She was currently spread out, supine on the ground, covered in a sheet of sweat. Next to her lay an open scroll. It was obvious she had been practicing by herself, and probably was at her limit judging by her gasping pants.

“How long have you been out here?” If she heard him, she chose not to reply and instead closed her eyes.

“Are you going to sleep out here?”

“…” The silence that surrounded them began to settle uncomfortably in his stomach. She must be mad, still. Guess Senpai was right—it was pointless.

“Well…good night, Sakura-chan. If I did something, I’m sorry.” He then motioned to walk away.

“Are you?”

“Pardon?” He turned back around to face her.

“Are you sorry?” She was still laying on the ground. Taking that as an open invitation to the bear’s den, he approached her side and sat down. He thought his next words over carefully.

“I’m sorry for what I did back in Grass. I didn’t realize it would upset you.”

It was quiet for awhile before she spoke again.

“Before you became my partner, we were sent to Amegakure for an extraction.” He looked sideways at her while her gaze remained steadfast upon the stars. She swallowed thickly, voice slightly wavering, “When we got there, there was a red headed boy a little older than me. He was strong, stupidly strong. He’d killed several platoons just before we arrived. At that point our intended target had already fled.

“Kurama-kun sacrificed himself so we could get out of there. He didn’t even ask me and we always did everything together. He was like my big brother.” She laid an arm over her face to hide the tears that began to escape. “The day we came back with his body was one of the worst days of my entire life.

“There’s a reason Rangers are paired in a platoon. Do you know what happens to us when we lose a partner?” His silence was her answer. “We either get a fresh rookie or we get relocated. I would have been moved because recruitment sucks around here.

“But then you came along. You saved me from being separated from our team. I’ve been here for three years, and I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving them on top of losing Kurama-kun. It’s not your fault that you didn’t know, but I’m telling you now…you are one of the best things to have happened in my life. I am so grateful. And it kills me that you almost threw your life away like that.”

“Sakura-chan—”

“I know our lives are shitty at some point or another, and I won’t pretend to know what it is that you’re going through—”

“It’s my dad!” He blurted suddenly, through her venting. She peered up at him from behind her forearm. “It…it’s just…” Deciding to make himself comfortable, he laid back next to her and opted to watch the twinkling and glittering of the cosmos.

“He killed himself and I was such a bastard about it.” He scrubbed his face with his hands, trying to ward off the burning behind his eyes. Now that the suitcase had been opened, there was no point in stopping. “Everyone in Konoha hates him for his failure. There was so much he didn’t tell me, and I just resented him. I am literally the worst scum in the world.

“If I knew everything I did now, I would have told him how proud I was. I would have told him how much I loved him.” He whispered. It felt like a huge relief to admit that aloud and he wasn’t sure why, but for now, he wouldn’t question it.

Their surroundings were quiet save for the slight breeze of the nightly wind. A hand then grasped his and squeezed.

“Like I said, I won’t pretend to know what it is that you’re going through, but I promise to be your constant; to always be by your side, no matter what. We are partners and partners never abandon each other." She curled towards him on her side and brought another hand to place atop his, sandwiching his between. "You are one of my most precious people, Kakashi. All I ask is that you be honest with me because I can’t read your mind. Deal?”

He gazed into her eyes and found nothing but sincerity. A small smile began to creep at the edges of his lips.

“I can do that.” He nodded and they both resumed gazing at the starry night above. A while had passed before Sakura-chan spoke,

“You know, my mama says that when we die, our souls become stars. To guide and protect the people of the earth. She says it’s a glorious end, and I’d like to think that our loved ones are up there and can hear us whenever we speak to them. It sounds dumb, but it makes me feel better sometimes.”

“Do you think my dad is up there?”

“Of course.” She yawned.

Oddly, the ground was comfortable enough with Sakura-chan’s warmth next to him and realized he, himself, was becoming rather sleepy. A quick glance to the right confirmed that she had, in fact, caught the midnight train to slumber land, her hand still clutched around his.

He smiled to himself and returned to watch the night sky once more, feeling a little lighter, a little more whole than he been in while. Perhaps it had been a long time coming, either way, he decided it was time for a change. To let go of his attachments to the past. He really didn’t have much to lose by turning over a new leaf. If Sakura-chan could make the promise of a lifetime, surely he could do as much by trying his best to change for the better.

He started with one last whisper to the heavens before falling asleep.

* * *

_I’m proud of you, Dad._

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the next update won't be until after Christmas. But here's the problem folks: I haven't actually written more than two pages for Chapter 10 (fuck). And between this fic, The Devil's in the Backseat, starting my second job, I literally have no time and I am so, sorry to you guys. 
> 
> So I'll promise I'll try to get something out. I work Friday, and Saturday I gotta do an evening standby event. I will say this tho, this chapter is the tipping point for going downhill. According to my timeline and cannon, there is less than 7 weeks left of the war. I think i've explored as much angsty Kakashi as possible and it's time to start exploring his characteristics further than what I have written and his relationship with Sakura. I'm thinkin' maybe 7-10 more chapters? IDK, we'll see how it all works out.
> 
> Happy Holidays folks! Be safe and be well until next time!  
_McK 🌒_


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